HALIFAX continued their great recent Conference run with a hard-earned win at Canvey.

The Islanders have still to win at home in their new set-up despite having twice triumphed on opposition soil.

The only goal of the game came in first-half injury-time in one of the rare Halifax attacks when Darren Mansa-ram fired home a deflected shot from the right.

For much of the rest of the game Canvey dominated and were only stopped from at least sharing the spoils by some outstanding defending by their opponents and poor finishing.

In blustery, windy conditions both teams took time to settle. Canvey generally had the better of the attacking action, but the game was littered with fouls early on with 14 free-kicks - seven for each side - being conceded in the first 20 minutes.

Midfielder John Kennedy earned Canvey's first corner after three minutes with a hopeful effort which caught a deflection.

Two minutes later wing-back Matt Joseph saw his well-struck cross-shot blocked and a scramble ended with Neil Gregory's effort being beaten out.

Soon after home midfielder Ben Sedgemore tried to place an effort from 25 yards, but it caused no problems for visiting keeper Ian Dunbavin.

Halifax, despite their free-scoring efforts of the past two weeks, were finding it hard to make inroads on the solid home rearguard .

Lewis Killeen did take advantage of a rebound in midfield to run on and send in a strong shot for the visitors, but it was held by Danny Potter in the home goal.

Star home striker Lee Boylan suffered a similar fate when he turned and hit a good right-foot drilled effort at the other end.

Halifax suffered a blow on the 28 minute mark when right-back Darren Hockenhull was stretchered off after suffering an ankle injury when conceding a corner.

He was replaced by Darren Stoneman, but the Islanders were still generally on top. Ryan Sugden was prominent in a few visiting attacking forays which led to a couple of corners.

But things were nearly more productive at the other end when first Boylan had a header held by Dunbavin. Then Gregory tried a speculative headed effort which nearly deceived the visiting stopper, who turned the bouncing ball over the top.

From this corner Gregory turned the ball goalwards and Boylan went down under a heavy challenge.

But with the game in the third of the six minutes of injury-time added on by the referee, Halifax took the lead against the run of play.

Sugden battled well to set Darren Mansaram free on the right and his well-drilled shot caught a wicked deflection to beat Potter and open the scoring. Canvey again dominated for long spells of the second-half but the visitors might have doubled their lead after 48 minutes.

Martin Foster's corner from the left was headed goalwards by Stoneman, but Canvey wing-back Joseph produced a superb goal-line headed clearance.

Skipper Gregory, still waiting for his first goal of the season, put one close-range effort over the bar and had another strong effort hit team-mate Ollie Berquez and go wide.

Berquez also had a couple of half-chances as Chris Duffy led some prominent raids down the left, and Canvey looked certain to equalise when Berquez put top scorer Boylan, scorer of six Conference goals already this season, clear on the right.

But for once the usually reliable striker failed to do the business, putting his shot wide of the right hand post.

Canvey brought winger Jon Keeling on in a bid to their attacking momentum, but although he produced moments of danger it was the visitors who continued their climb up the table with all three points.

* For quotes and match analysis see Monday's Evening Echo