CANVEY Island drew 1-1 with Leatherhead in a match fraught with contentious refereeing decisions.

Two men were sent off for the Gulls, with both of them questionable, but they held ontop a point having taken the lead through John Sands.

Canvey took the lead with the first chance of the match. A terrific raking pass out of defence from Tambeson Eyong split the Leatherhead back-line in two, allowing John Sands to race in. He took a touch and blasted past Louis Wells to score his third goal in four days.

Leatherhead were struggling to get out of their half but missed a golden opportunity to equalise five minutes before the break.

Melvin Minter flapped at a cross and the ball dropped to Kiernan Hughes-Mason, but he could only head against the post from five yards, with the rebounding ball trickling just wide off Easterford.

And then two key moments – first Sands was denied by a fine save by Wells, although his shirt appeared to be tugged as he burst through.

And moments later Eyong was sent off to the fury of the home players. Although he won the ball cleanly, the right-back was deemed to be too aggressive in the tackle and was given his marching orders.

And it led to an equaliser – Stacy Long’s 20 yard shot going through Minter’s gloves when the keeper would have expected to save it.

Hughes-Mason shot wide as a flurry of Canvey’s players were booked and from there on in it was all Leatherhead, but they couldn’t force a winner.

Curran was also questionably sent off at the death, when he appeared to be tugged in the area.

Canvey: Minter, Eyong, Carter, Jones, Bryan-Edwards, Easterford, Curran, Chatting, Kamara, John Sands (Ellis Sands), Thomas (Agyakwa)

 

Other results: Ryman League Bury Town 2-1 Billericay Town Great Wakering Rovers 2-2 Tilbury

FA Cup East Thurrock United 2-2 AFC Hornchurch (ET played after the Echo went to press)

Essex Senior League Stansted 0-2 Hullbridge Sports