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AFC Hornchurch started well, and nearly took the lead as early as the 3rd minute when a quick free kick gave Lewis Smith a chance, but his shot when well placed went wide of the target.

The visitors, wearing their lucky purple away kit which had seen them win 10 of their previous 11 away matches, had another chance on 13 minutes when a cross from the left wing found the head of Martin Tuohy, but his effort was saved by Canvey’s goalkeeper James Russell.

Canvey had an injury blow before the game when striker Danny Heale pulled up with an injury, and on 20 minutes right back Michael Alaile was also forced to leave the action with a groin injury, being replaced by winger Danny Spendlove.

The Gulls’ first real chance came on 23 minutes when Kevin Dobinson’s free kick found the head of centre back John Easterford. He was able to steer the ball across goal onto the head of striker Jason Hallett who’s effort went narrowly over the bar.

AFC Hornchurch took the lead on 26 minutes when a poor kick by goalkeeper Joe Woolley was well kept in by Lewis Smith on the left wing. He hit a high ball forward which found Martin Tuohy, who got past Ashley Dumas and steered an excellent shot into the far corner of the net.

Canvey nearly grabbed an equaliser when Bradley Woods-Garness, a recent addition on a dual registration with Sutton United, shot from outside the box. However, Woolley did well diving to his left to turn the ball around the post for a corner.

The second half started with AFC Hornchurch in the ascendancy, with Frankie Curley unlucky to see his header deflected wide a minute into the restart.

Canvey started to come into the match a minute later when Jason Hallett latched onto Danny Spendlove’s lofted through ball, and turned Urchins’ captain Elliot Styles inside out before being fouled on the edge of the area. Styles had already been awarded a booking earlier in the game, and he could consider himself lucky not to be shown an effort for his clever and necessary foul.

Soon afterwards Canvey hit the crossbar, when central midfielder Kevin Dobinson connected with Leon Gordon’s corner, but his header took a deflection on its way to goal on struck the woodwork.

Hornchurch could have put the game to bed with 2 excellent chances in 3 minutes. First, and error by Steve Sheehan allowed Michael Spencer to waltz into the area before squaring to Martin Tuohy. Having already netted once, he would have been disappointed to shoot straight at Russell in the Canvey goal.

Tuohy was at the heart of the action once again shortly afterwards, although his powerful effort was brilliantly turned round the post by Russell diving full stretch to his right.

A big turning point in the match came on 63 minutes when Martin Tuohy was shown a straight red card. The Urchins’ striker was tussling with Canvey’s Kevin Dobinson during a throw in when he flung an elbow into the midfielder’s face. Tuohy believed that Dobinson had made the most of the incident although the referee was in no doubt and didn’t hesitate in dismissing the striker, who will now be suspended for Hornchurch’s trip to Grimsby Town in the FA Trophy.

It took only 3 minutes after the sending off for Canvey to level the scores. Jason Hallett collected the ball on the edge of the box, and did well to turn and square the ball to Kevin Dobinson. Former-Canvey triallist Reiss Noel slid in to try and prevent the ball reaching Dobinson, but his efforts were in vain and the midfielder smashed the ball past Woolley to equalise.

Canvey manager John Batch replaced Leon Gordon with Alex Rhodes on 68 minutes as his side pushed for a winning goal.

However, having a man less didn’t deter Hornchurch from attacking, and only a superb save by James Russell denied Reiss Noel a goal with 15 minutes to play.

A minute later Canvey took the lead through a well worked goal. A swift counter attack saw Jason Hallett bring the ball out of defence and run it into Hornchurch's half of the pitch. He slotted the ball through to Bradley Woods-Garness who drove in and beat his man on the touchline. Woods-Garness cut the ball back for Hallett who gratefully smashed the ball home from close range.

Both sides made substitutions with 10 minutes to play, with Hallett making way for Jay Curran for Canvey, and former-Arsenal midfielder Tommy Black replacing Michael Spencer for the visitors.

Canvey extended the lead on 89 minutes when Woods-Garness collected the ball on the half way line and slid a perfectly weighted through ball into the path of Jay Curran, who slammed the ball into the corner of the net from the edge of the area.

The Gulls’ added insult to injury time when Woods-Garness scored the goal his performance so richly deserved, striking the ball sweetly into the top corner 25 yards from goal.

When being asked his views on the match, Canvey Island manager John Batch commented that at half time he instructed his players to impose themselves on the match a bit more as the visitors had done.

Urchins’ manager Jimmy McFarlane said that he had spoken with the match referee at half time about his performance, and felt that he had changed the game with his decisions. However, in regards to his side's title ambitions, McFarlane calmly commented that this was only the half way stage of the season, and that this was merely a minor dent in Hornchurch’s push for promotion.