A four-goal haul by the Ryman Premier's star marksman Lee Boylan, and a second-half hat-trick in four minutes from his understudy Bertie Brayley, highlighted Gulls' memorable final home game of the season.

The match was preceded by Jeff Minton collecting Canvey supporters' player of the season award and the home team were soon in celebratory mood on the pitch.

Ex-Football League midfielder Minton, as ever, was at the heart of the demolition job, sending Steve Parmenter free on the left to cross for Boylan to fire home after just three minutes.

Best Boy! : Canvey striker Lee Boylan celebrates his second goal against Enfield

After ten minutes it was 2-0 as Boylan lashed home Gulls' 100th league goal of the season from Chris Duffy's cross, again from the left.

When the same combination made it 3-0 just five minutes later, Boylan completing his hat-trick this time with a header, one sensed that the visitors, even by the standards of a disastrous season which has seen them relegated, were heading for a real hiding.

The Islanders took their foot of the pedal for a brief spell, but skipper Neil Gregory got things back on track after 31 minutes with a superb 25-yard lob over goalkeeper Marc Palmer, once on Billericay Town's books.

Enfield did briefly spoil the home party by pulling back a goal after 38 minutes and amazingly missed out on a good chance of grabbing a second soon after the restart.

However, Jeff King's men were not to be denied. Boylan scored his fourth, and best, goal after 61 minutes when he hooked Minton's superb reverse ball over Palmer and into the net. Then Duffy got int on the act by shooting home the sixth.

At this stage the Canvey bench substituted Boylan, but any thoughts Enfield had that they were being spared further punishment were soon dispelled.

For his replacement, Bertie Brayley, grabbed a hat-trick in four minutes from the 79-minute mark and midfielder Lee Protheroe hammered the final nail in the visiting side's coffin with a great curling effort in injury-time.

The home heroes, rightly, were given an ovation by ecstatic home fans as the disappointments of being pipped for the title for a third year running were briefly forgotten.

"There were some really special goals scored out there today and obviously it was nice to finish our home programme with such an entertaining display," said home boss Jeff King.

Published Monday, April 28, 2003

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