Crace off in thriller

Greensnet Editor
Tue 10 Sep 2002, 23:00

Tonight's game at Canvey Island ended 4-4 in a real thriller. The game opened brightly and the Greens took the lead in the 20th minute when Ricci Crace headed home a Kieran Gallagher free kick. Just two minutes later Paul Yates doubled the lead with his first goal of the season, only for Lee Protheroe to fire home an excellent free kick to pull a goal back eight minutes later. One minute afterwards it was all square when John Kennedy scrambled the ball home after a defensive mix up. Five minutes before half time Martin Randall put the Greens back in front after Ben Chenery lost possession in defence. There was still time for Protheroe to be sent off for kicking the ball at the assistant referee.

The second half saw Canvey come out all guns blazing, and it was no shock in the 65th minute when Jeff Minton scrambled the ball home from a corner, although it did look like it could have been a David Hook own goal. In the 81st minute Paul Yates scored an absolute screamer after an excellent build up involving Steve Forbes and Crace before two minutes later Steve Butler conceded a penalty, which was converted by Neil Gregory to square things up again. Ricci Crace was sent off in the dying minutes for a second bookable offence, but Hendon left with a point from an excellent game of football - for the neutral observer!