Exeter City 0 Canvey Island 2

Last updated : 03 December 2005 By Footymad Previewer
Exeter crashed to a surprise 2-0 defeat against plucky Canvey Island on a miserable afternoon at St James's Park.

Torrential rain spoilt the game as Exeter fell to two second half goals from Ben Sedgemore and former Grecian Kezie Ibe.

The visitors were always a handful and deserved to take the points. Exeter could have few complaints about the result and never got going during a game largely affected by the weather.

The referee twice made pitch inspections an hour before kick off and eventually judged the rain soaked pitch playable. The rain continued to fall throughout the first half and the conditions made meaningful football almost impossible.

Canvey adapted best and looked the livelier of the two sides in the first period.

Boylan went close when he volleyed over from Ben Chenery's cross. Allan Tait then struck the ball over the bar following Jon Keeling's corner.

After the break Canvey always looked a threat. Jeff Minton found Boylan inside the box and his shot from close range was well blocked by keeper Gary Sawyer.

The visitors deservedly took the lead in the 54th minute. Boylan's shot from 10 yards was beaten away by Paul Jones and Sedgemore was on hand to tap the ball home from close range.

Sedgemore could have made it two shortly afterwards when he forced Jones to stretch superbly and turn round his shot from 12 yards.

Ibe found himself one-on-one with Sawyer after Chris Todd's slip and he finished superbly from close range to put the result beyond doubt with four minutes left on the clock.

In the dying minutes Glenn Cronin went close for the Grecians and Craig Farrell rattled the crossbar with a free-kick but there was no way back.