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The South Coast side belied their lowly league position by dominating the match and securing a deserved win against a Gulls’ side who were lacklustre for much of the game.

Canvey rarely troubled Lloyd Anderson in the Hastings’ goal and failed to get a grip of the game in midfield  allowing Hastings far too much space to play their neat passing game and create numerous chances.

With Matt Game injured and Kevin Dobinson unavailable, new signing Danny Spendlove made his debut after his recent arrival from Wealdstone.
Hastings made a better start and nearly went in front after 5 minutes. Scott Manning got on the end of a free kick near the left by-line but headed just over the crossbar.

Canvey gradually settled but although the Hastings’ defence looked rather shaky at times, they created very few opportunities.

Jay Curran fired a fierce shot over the crossbar from 20 yards out and then on 30 minutes a decent left wing cross from Ashley Dumas picked out Jason Hallett in the centre but his volley lacked power and was straight at Anderson.

In between that Steve Sheehan and Alex Rhodes were booked for Canvey and Jamie Crenlin received a yellow card for a robust tackle on Robbie King.

Canvey went in front on 34 minutes and it was in fortuitous circumstances. Rhodes drilled in a cross from the left that Josh Jirbandey attempted to clear but he could only hammer his clearance against Manning with the ball ricocheting off of the defender and dribbling past Anderson and into the net.

To their credit, Hastings responded superbly and pushed back Canvey in the remaining ten minutes of the half.

A cross-shot from the right hand side of the area fizzed across the face of goal and wide on 39 minutes and then a decent pass from Zac Attwood put Joe Jafati Barham past a statuesque Canvey defence and through on goal but James Russell stood up well to save his shot.

Russell produced another good save just before half time when he turned Lee Carey’s 25 yard free kick around the post for a corner as Hastings finished the half strongly.

Canvey started the second half brightly and Andrew West had a penalty appeal turned down as he broke into the penalty area from the right and fell under the weight of a defender’s challenge.

Hastings always looked a threat on the counter attack though and on 53 minutes they grabbed a deserved equaliser when Sheehan could only turn Carey’s left wing cross into his own net as he attempted to clear the ball at the near post.

Canvey were struggling to keep possession and too often resorted to long aimless punts forward that rarely troubled the Hastings’ defence.

Danny Spendlove was struggling to get involved in the game and Canvey seemed to be badly missing the tenacity of Game and Dobinson in the midfield and somebody who could win the ball and instigate attacks.

Attwood came close for Hastings on 63 minutes when he turned and lashed a shot across goal and wide of the far post.

Canvey finally tested Anderson on 68 minutes when Hallett bullied his way into the penalty area and the ball broke loose to Rhodes but the keeper was out swiftly to smother his shot.

Canvey decided to change things around by bringing on Danny Heale and Kyle Asante for Spendlove and Hallett but this failed to make any real impact.

Hastings had three good opportunities to go in front as the Canvey defence went to sleep.

A misunderstanding between the defence and Russell saw substitute Nick Gonzales nip in and play the ball past the keeper but his effort lacked power and West was able to run back and clear.

A free kick on the left hand edge of the penalty area just cleared the crossbar on 73 minutes. Two minutes later an error by Sheehan saw him caught in possession by the striker and although his effort beat Russell, John Easterford did superbly to get back and hack the goal bound shot off of the line as it rolled towards the net.

Canvey had a number of free kicks in promising positions during the last 15 minutes but the delivery was often disappointing and Hastings defended these comfortably.

Asante injected some pace into the Canvey attack but he was rarely able to threaten and there was some inevitability about Hastings’ winner two minutes from time.

A neat passing move saw Hastings catch the Canvey defence out and Zac Attwood was able to turn in the box and place his shot past Russell.

There was little time for Canvey to respond and their poor home form again came back to haunt them as they suffered their 5th defeat in the league at Park Lane.

Gulls currently sit in 9th place in the table and unless they find a consistent run of positive form over the next couple of months look set for a season of mid table mediocrity.

Gulls will hope to bounce back at the weekend when they travel to Conference South side Hampton & Richmond in the FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round.