Canvey will climb to third place in the Ryman Premier Division tonight if they pick up their expected success at second from bottom Bishop's Stortford.

A run of seven League games without defeat has seen Jeff King's Islanders boost their bid for the title and three points this evening would see them just seven points in arrears of top dogs Aldershot from level games.

Midfielder Lee Protheroe is a new casualty in Gulls' camp, being forced off with a groin injury at the interval in Saturday's 2-0 success at lowly Heybridge Swifts.

He joins Finnish international Jukka Ruhanen, Matt Jones and Spencer Knight on the injured list and Canvey will certainly not take anything for granted having crashed to a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Stortford in their first home Premier game of the season last August.

King's troops of course have made massive improvements since then while that win at Park Lane is one of only four Stortford have managed in 26 starts this term --although ten of the others have ended with honours even.

Stortford strikers Vinnie John and Trevor Paul can form a tricky partnership for any opposition on their day, but it will be a major surprise if the Islanders cannot beat their former goalkeeper Micky Desborough on enough occasions to take the three points tonight.

For more on Ryman Premier League sides see our Ryman Premier League section

Published Tuesday, January 28, 2003

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