Canvey Island look like being without two key players for Saturday's visit to St Albans to take on an Enfield side whose season is threatening to come apart at the seams since their FA Cup demise.

Jeff Brazier, who was forced off early on in last week's 6-1 thrashing of Heybridge Swifts after a heavy knock, and ex-Southend United midfielder Mark Stimson are the men likely to miss out.

Stimson suffered a groin injury in that match and has also become a victim of the flu bug that is affecting many clubs at the moment.

On the plus side, on-loan Colchester United striker Neil Gregory has recovered from a recurrence of an old back injury and will be involved.

Enfield enjoyed a fabulous FA Cup run which finally ended with second round replay defeat against Preston after they had knocked out another Nationwide League club, Chesterfield.

But they have been unable to do anything right of late in the League.

In fact, their defeat at the hands of Harrow Borough on Tuesday means that they are very low in the current "form table" with just one win and six defeats in their last seven Ryman games.

That run means that Enfield have fallen well down the table from the halcyon days when they topped the Premier earlier in the campaign.

And their cause certainly is not being helped by the fact that they have no home following the sale of their own ground a couple of months ago.

All this will count for nothing for Gulls, who are expecting a very tough game tomorrow.

The Islanders were considered by some a trifle fortunate to beat Enfield 1-0 earlier in the campaign at home.

Said coach Glenn Pennyfather: "We all know that Enfield are a very good side.

"They have obviously been suffering something of an FA Cup hangover but it would be disastrous for us to go down there expecting an easy game.

"Having said that, scoring six goals last week obviously brought a lot of confidence back for our players and we're looking forward to the game."

Gulls will be hoping for better fortune than on their last visit to the venue when they lost to St Albans in an FA Cup final qualifying round replay.

Splashing time - Canvey winger Sammy Cooper (right) seen in action at a very wet Park Lane against Heybridge last week will be looking for drier conditions at St Albans tomorrow when Gulls take on Enfield

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.