CANVEY Island sunk to their sixth defeat in seven games, losing 15-13 at Bancroft in Essex One.

Despite the final result, it was Canvey who opened the scoring with a penalty from Jon Edwards.

However, the home-side hit back with an unconverted try to lead 5-3 at half-time.

The second half started badly for the Islanders when flanker Bradley Horton was sin binned for collapsing a maul and, within two minutes, second row Jon Mailes also went off after committing the same offence.

Bancroft immediately took advantage of their extra two men to drive over from a line-out before Luke Lanza was also yellow carded for Canvey, leaving them with only 12 men.

The Islanders dug deep to keep Bancroft at bay and, when back to full strength, got back in to the game with a try from number eight Harry Atkins to make it 10-10.

A penalty from Tom Lister then put Canvey in front but Bancroft replied with an unconverted try to snatch a narrow win which left Islanders spokesman Richard Smith frustrated at the final whistle.

"This was one of the better performances in recent weeks and we were unlucky at times today but you can’t win a game playing periods of it with 12 men,” he said.

The Islanders now sit eighth in the table ahead of Pegasus Palmerians who remain 10th in the 11 team table after losing 21-12 at home to Ilford Wanderers.