TEN-MAN Canvey Island slipped to their second defeat of the season with a 1-0 reversal at Ram Meadow against Bury Town.

A fortunate first-half goal from Steve Holder, who deflected a shot up and over Gulls keeper Danzelle St Louis-Hamilton, proved the difference in a game which saw the dismissal of Canvey forward Anthony Thomas just short of the hour mark.

The Gulls started brightly and had the ball in the net in the seventh minute when Harrison Chatting netted after being found by Jay Curran.

But the linesman’s flag was up meaning the goal was chalked off.

Bury’s lucky goal came on the half hour mark but the Gulls had a great chance to equalise four minutes before the break when John Sands – returning to his former club – was denied at close-range by keeper Marcus Garnham. Tambeson Eyong could not smuggle in the rebound.

Bury nearly doubled their lead six minutes into the second half when Callum Bennett struck a curling right-footed shot towards goal which beat St Louis-Hamilton but struck the upright. Thomas then received his marching orders for a second booking. His first card came late in the first half for a late challenge on Miles Smith with his second a high boot on Callum Bennett.

Despite being a man light, Canvey pushed for the equaliser but found themselves vulnerable on the counter-attack with only Ashley Dumas’ last-gasp intervention on the line denying Bury a second.

As the match entered the final five minutes Mike Jones and John Sands both had headers from corners miss the target, and the hosts were able to hold on for their first victory of the season.