Programmes from Isthmian history: Burnley v Canvey Island, January 2002
The Gulls cup run came to an end in the Third Round, at Turf Moor
The early years of the 21st Century were undoubtedly the glory years for Canvey Island. Promotion, two FA Trophy Final appearances- one victory- and two fine Cup runs, in 2000-01 when they reached the Second Round, and the following season, when they went one better and travelled to Burnley for the Third Round.
Their hosts were in second place in League One, two points behind Manchester City albeit with a game in hand. Their squad included Mitchell Thomas, formerly a cup finalist with Spurs; Kevin Ball, who had reached the final with Sunderland, Glen Little, who played almost two hundred and fifty games for the club but whom you will perhaps also remember for his spells as a player with Grays Athletic, Heybridge Swifts and as a manager with Wingate & Finchley. Paul Cook went on to manage Wigan Athletic, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town, whilst Ian Moore had cost one million pounds two years beforehand.
The Gulls weren’t scared, however. They’d already defeated Wigan Athletic in the First Round, and then Northampton Town came, saw and were conquered in the second. Managed by Jeff King, the Gulls were missing Julian Dicks, but they did have Mark Stimson, Lee Boylan, Ben Chenery and Micky Bennett, amongst others.
Burnley v Canvey Island, FA Cup 3rd Round, 5th Jan 2002
The programme includes a feature from former Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell, of course a well known Burnley supporter, which we include for posterity!
Sadly we can’t find any video highlights, and the only report we can find is from the BBC archive- it reads as follows:
'An Ian Moore hat-trick finally ended non-league Canvey Island's FA Cup adventure as Burnley ran out comfortable winners. Moore, who set up team-mate Glen Little for the Clarets' first, was without question the difference between the two sides.
His double strike in the second half, to add to his headed effort on the stroke of half-time, killed off any chance of a surprise comeback by Canvey.
Jeff King feature
But Canvey had no reply to Moore's scoring prowess, which put some gloss on what had otherwise been a mediocre affair.
The Turf Moor crowd were unusually subdued at kick-off. Neither promotion-chasing side - Burnley in Division One and Canvey in the Ryman League - could establish any rhythm, the game punctuated by careless errors.
Canvey were by no means overawed by their higher division rivals, but nor did they pose any real threat. The closest the part-timers came to worrying Burnley was in the 16th minute when Adam Miller drilled a 25-yard left-footed shot which went just inches wide of the post.
Stan Ternent's men took heed and capitalised on some shoddy defending in Canvey's area to score courtesy of Little. Canvey only had themselves to blame for the second goal after Spencer Knight needlessly fouled Moore just outside the area.
Canvey preview
This time Little turned provider, his free-kick met by Moore's firm header inside the six-yard box.
The home side could not have timed the goal better, on the stroke of half-time and just when Canvey had started to enjoy a good spell of pressure. But their neat one-touch football in the Burnley area lacked a fitting finish.
Soon after the interval, Burnley should have extended their lead, with both Little and Moore squandering good chances to put the game beyond Canvey.
Their initial failure to do so gave Canvey a glimmer of hope, and one which the Islanders seized upon to set up an interesting finale to the game.
Canvey pen pics
Boylan pulled a goal back for the visitors midway through the second half after he was set up by Knight on the left wing. But Canvey's fightback was brief as Moore atoned for his earlier mistake - twice. He scored his second of the game with a beautifully-guided strike which evaded Ashley Harrison in the Canvey goal.
And Moore was not finished, sealing an emphatic victory over the non-leaguers with his third in the 84th minute to finally shatter Canvey's FA Cup dream.
Burnley: Michopoulos, West, Gnohere, Cox, Briscoe, Little (Cook 58), Ball, Grant, Alan Moore (Papadopoulos 78), Ian Moore, Taylor (Weller 45).
Subs Not Used: Cennamo, Payton.
The teams
Booked: Grant.
Canvey Island: Harrison, Bennett, Ward, Chenery, Duffy, Miller, Kennedy, Stimson, Parmenter (Cobb 60), Knight, Boylan.
Subs Not Used: Tanner, Thompson, Vaughan, Johnson.
Booked: Parmenter, Stimson.
Burnley boss Stan Ternent
Referee: D Pugh (Bebington).
Attendance: 11,496
Canvey ended the season in second place in our Premier Division, runners up for the second successive season- Gravesend & Northfleet gaining promotion. They made it a hat trick of second place finishes in 2002-03, before finally winning the title in 2003-04, with Lee Boylan scoring forty two of their one hundred and six goals.
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Kevin Ball feature
Alistair Campbell puts his spin on things
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