Elliott Ronto the hero as Canvey Island end long wait for second round return

Posted Sunday, November 08, 2020 by PA

Elliott Ronto’s timely drive fired Canvey Island into the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in 19 years in a 2-1 win at Banbury United.

The winner came three minutes after the higher-ranked hosts, who had hit the woodwork twice late in the first half, had levelled the tie.

Canvey might have led 19 minutes in only for Tobi Joseph’s effort to be diverted away from the top corner by keeper Jack Harding but the opener soon arrived, Conor Hubble twisting and turning before firing home.

Banbury pressed for a way back into it and Giorgio Rasulo’s deflected effort hit the bar nine minutes before half-time.

Another United effort brushed the post via a deflection but Canvey went within a whisker of a second seven minutes after the restart when Ronto had a shot cleared off the line by Jack Self following an indirect free-kick in the box after Harding had picked up a back pass.

Banbury warranted the leveller that arrived via Ricky Johnson turning in a low right-wing cross in the 68th minute but the joy was short-lived as Ronto unerringly rifled home after a Canvey free-kick had been half-cleared.

Evans Kouassi might have doubled that lead soon after only to curl just over, while substitute Amer Awadh went as close as anyone as Banbury’s push to equalise again proved fruitless.