Match Report by Jonathan Andrews

Canvey Island and Cray Valley PM played out an eight goal thriller on Tuesday evening, with a 4-4 draw seeing the points shared in an epic encounter at the Steves Taxis Stadium.

The tone for the evening was set from the get go, with two early strikes setting in motion an entertaining encounter for the 282 who braved the, at times, torrential rain. The Gulls led at the break and at one point had the games only two goal cushion, only to see it eaten away by a resilient opposition, with both sides having a glut of chances to win the contest.

Brad Wellmen returned Ollie Parsons and Matt Yates to his starting XI after the pair were rested during Saturdays FA Trophy win at Maldon & Tiptree. Bradley Sach began his 2nd tenure at the Gulls from the bench.

On a surface slick from a pre match downpour, it was the visitors who took the lead after an early corner was met by Danny Waldren, who caught Bobby Mason cold as he headed across goal to open the scoring.

The Gulls didn't let the early setback deflate them, and they caught the visitors still patting themselves on the back as they went straight up the other end and equalised. Pressure from the Canvey frontline saw a mix up at the back between a defender and visiting keeper Oliver Pain fumble a pass back, allowing Chris Harris to snatch the ball and hit home a simple strike to level the game.

Just 8 minutes later and the Gulls were in front. As they broke down the channels once more, Pain was caught well off his line - a mistake fully capitalised on by Jaxon Brown, who hit an exquisite dink over the keeper to put the Gulls in front and grab his 3rd Canvey goal since joining on loan from Swindon Town.

The game continued to swing back and forth, with both sides using the pace of their attack to effect, meaning both defences had to be alert in tracking back to mop up any danger. It was from set plays though, where the visitors excelled, and they levelled the game again on 36 minutes. Another corner caused chaos in the Canvey area, and a lapse in communication allowed Matthew Vigor the space to poke the ball home from close range.

The chances kept coming as both sides looked to take a lead into the break. Canvey's positive wing play was meriting them chances, with Gilbert and Yates getting the better of their markers on several occasions to put balls into the area. It was the later of the two, who was instrumental in the Gulls third goal on 39 minutes.

Staring down his markers, Gilbert did brilliantly to dance into the box, putting a low ball across the face of goal. In the resulting chaos, the ball was scooped out to Brown again, who hit a brilliant strike low along the slippery surface, and it travelled through a crowd before hitting the back of the net.

There was still time for the visitors to almost level just before the break. Another corner routine once again caused havoc, allowing a striker to fire a chance at goal that beat Mason, but was cleared off the line by a Canvey defender. It meant that went referee finally blew his whistle, the crowd were given 15 minutes to catch their breath after a thrilling first 45 minutes.

Into the second half, and the chances kept pouring as much as the rain. The Gulls kept up the pressure as they found space to break, and quick thinking by Brown on 56 minutes saw him poke the ball past two of his markers, only for Waldren to bring him down in the box. The referee pointed to the spot, booking the Cray man for his troubles, and Conor Hubble made no mistake as he hit a fierce penalty into the top corner to give Canvey a two goal cushion.

The visitors introduced the pace of Adam Coombes down the flanks, and it proved quite effective as they started to gain the set plays they craved on their right flank. It warranted them a free kick in the 62nd minute after an attacker was brought down by Matthew Yates. The free kick was delivered into the box from wide, where it found Mohammed Oshilaja there to fire home and bring his sides deficit back to one.

However, they would seemingly emplode just seven minutes later. The substitute Coombes was penalised for a foul whilst Canvey were on the attack, earning a yellow card. Then, just a few minutes later, he earned his 2nd after bringing down Yates, with the referee sending him to dry off early.

The Gulls were still stuttering to resume their attacking play however, and were almost made to pay as the visitors missed a guilt edged chance. After Mason had made a good save, the rebound fell kindly to Oshilaja, who headed over the bar - much to the Gulls relief.

Brad Wellmen gave the crowd the moment they craved, with Harris making was for Bradley Sach - the strikers 2nd debut after rejoining the club from Chatham Town. He was instantly involved, finding space in the pockets and seeing a good header saved from close range by Pain on 73 minutes.

It was then Hubble's turn as the Gulls closed in on goal. After a free kick was awarded in the 79th minute, he hit a sweet strike they looked to be bending goalward - only to see his effort agonisingly crash off the crossbar.

The ten man visitors weren't to be undone though, still dangerous on the break, and it was a case of deja-vu for the Gulls on 81 minutes as Mason failed to claim a cross from a corner, meaning Marcel Barrington was able to header home and bring the score to an astounding 4-4.

The chances came for both sides in a rollercoaster last 13 minutes. The two biggest chances fell to the Gulls, with Bradley Sach almost making himself the hero on 87 minutes, only to see his glanced header go gut-wrenchingly wide of the near post.

Canvey kept coming forward with pace, and they earned another free kick with the last break of the game. Hubble again stepped up and this time swung his free kick towards the near post - only for that to crash off the woodwork!

The referee ended the game straight after, with an entertaining game for the neutral more a case of two points dropped for the Gulls, with their potency in front of goal pegged back by haphazard defending.

They now face a long trip to Bognor Regis Town this Saturday, with their opponents a point and a place above them.