MARK Bentley was left frustrated as Canvey Island conceded a late equaliser to Tilbury.

Bentley was minutes away from getting his reign as Gulls boss off to a winning start as Martin Tuohy opened the scoring just five minutes from time.

But Abdus Salami grabbed the equaliser as the Isthmian North clash ticked into stoppage time to allow Tilbury to leave the Frost Hire Stadium with a 1-1 draw.

And although Bentley admitted a share of the spoils was fair, Danny Heale’s successor was disappointed his side did not hold onto their lead.

Bentley said: “The work rate, desire and everything else was spot on from the boys, but that’s the standard in football.

“The result was probably right, if I’m honest, but when you get into a winning position with just a few minutes to go, you want to hold on and see the game out.

“That would have made it a perfect start but there are still positives to take.”

Frankie Merrifield saw an early header cleared off the line, while Gulls goalkeeper Harry Palmer brilliantly tipped a deflected Lewis Smith strike onto the post.

But the two goals, both from close range, came in the final five minutes.

Canvey Island: Palmer, Pitty, Brown, White, Jolliffe, Figura, Hutchinson (Agyakwa 64), Collins, Cox (Tuohy 38), Merrifield, Melaugh