Bury Town 2-1 Canvey Island

(Lankester 47', Allen 71': Gilbey 82')

From Ram Meadow

Isthmian North

CANVEY Island are now four away matches without a win after slumping to a narrow defeat at Bury Town.

Mitch Gilbey was on target for the Gulls late on, but the hosts were able to secure all three points thanks to goals from Jack Lankester and Tevan Allen.

As a result, Canvey now find themselves nine points adrift of second-placed Bowers & Pitsea, albeit with a game in hand.

The Gulls got off to a promising start, with George Sykes denied by home goalkeeper Luis Tibbles inside the opening four minutes.

Gilbey sent a shot inches wide of the target on the stroke of half-time, and those misses were to prove crucial as the hosts took the lead two minutes after the restart.

Sykes had just been denied grabbing the opener after being flagged offside and, from the resulting free kick, Lankester was found and he steered his strike into the bottom corner of the net.

George Craddock was brilliantly denied by Tibbles before Allen converted from close range to double Bury's advantage.

Gilbey fired home from 18 yards to give Canvey hope but, despite late pressure, the Gulls could not return to Essex with a share of the spoils.

Canvey Island: Newcombe, Pitty, Dumas (Walker 90'), Craddock, Allen, Sheehan, Merrifield (Melaugh 55'), Collins, Sykes (Tuohy 81'), Gilbey, Charles