Canvey Island 10-1 Enfield

Canvey's biggest ever Ryman League win capped off their home campaign in some style against relegated Enfield.

In truth, there was never much doubt that the Islanders, pipped last week to the Ryman title by Aldershot, would run up something near a cricket score in this clash, and they were off to a flying start against their hapless opponents.

Within sixteen minutes of kick-off, top scorer Lee Boylan had taken his season's tally to a remarkable 44 strikes. The first came on three minutes as Steve Parmenter beat a defender on the right, laid the ball on to Jeff Minton who stabbed it across goal where Boylan finished.

Chris Duffy then crossed on 10 minutes from the left for Boylan to finish with some ease, before an almost replica move created the third for the Colchester and Southend United target.

Neil Gregory hit a fourth on the half-hour with a precise lob over Enfield keeper Marc Palmer, before the visitors pulled one back when the battling Paul Armstrong scored.

Armstrong went close again after then restart when he tested Ashley Harrison in the Canvey goal, and that was practically the London side's last attack of the afternoon as Jeff King's men took charge.

Boylan hit the fifth from Minton's scooped pass on 62 minutes, Duffy added a goal to his two assists as the scoreline crept to 6-1 six minutes later, but there was no let-up to the scoring.

Bertie Brayley was to add fresh legs and another hat-trick name on the scoresheet with three further goals in a four-minute spell.

Enfield, by now humiliated and well-beaten, conceded a tenth when Lee Protheroe put a smile on an otherwise disappointing end-of-season showdown defeat for Canvey, having lost out to Aldershot in the race for the Conference.

Providing that manager Jeff King can keep together much of this squad, there is little doubt that the Gulls will begin next term as pre-season favourites for the Ryman title.

17:17 Sunday 27th April 2003

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