Hendon (A) - 2nd September 2023

By Josh Cole

It’s the First Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup as the ‘Gate travel to North London to take on Hendon FC on Saturday afternoon.

It was a Kent Derby defeat for Margate last time out on Bank Holiday Monday as we lost 2-0 at the Alcaline Stadium. You can read the full match report by clicking here.

Manager Reece Prestedge gave his post-match thoughts to GateTV after the game watch by clicking here.

SEASONS SO FAR

Hendon, also known as ‘The Dons’ play in the Southern League Premier Division South, which is step 3 of the English Football Pyramid (same as Margate). They are sat in 15th place after six games with one win (3-1 vs Sholing), four draws (2-2 vs Poole Town, 2-2 vs Beaconsfield Town, 0-0 vs Salisbury and 2-2 vs Harrow Borough) and one loss (vs Plymouth Parkway 3-0) putting them on seven points. They have scored nine goals and conceded 10, leaving them with a -1 goal difference.

After the loss on Monday, Margate have dropped four places to 15th on six points from five games with two wins (2-1 vs Whitehawk and 1-2 vs Concord Rangers) and three losses (4-1 vs Hornchurch, 1-2 vs Cheshunt and 2-0 vs Folkestone). We have scored six goals and conceded ten from the first five games putting us on a -4 goal difference.

There have been ten previous fixtures between the Dons and the ‘Gate dating from August 2012 with Margate winning four, Hendon winning three and three games ending in a draw. The last time we faced Hendon was in the Bostik Premier Division at Silver Jubilee Park where the game finished 1-1 with the ‘Gate’s goal being scored by Jay May.

Margate fans will also be reminiscent ahead of the game of May 2015 when Terry Brown’s ‘Gate side beaten Hendon 1-0 in the Isthmian Division Play-off final thanks to a goal from striker Ryan Moss, which secured the Blues a return to the National League South.

Margate have faced Hendon before in the FA Cup, albeit in 1999 where Hendon beat Margate 1-0 and advanced to the First Round Proper.

Montel Agyemang remains side-line after breaking his leg at home to Cheshunt last Friday, however there seems to be no other injury concerns for the Blues ahead of the weekend.

Margate will be wearing the pink away strip for the game, whilst the hosts will play in their Green and White home strip.

The officials for Saturday are: Will Briers (referee), Alphie Ibrahim (assistant referee), and Luke Burford (assistant referee).

Wanting to make the journey to Hendon? Purchase your ticket for the Supporters coach, departing Hartsdown Park at 9:45am with tickets costing £20!

Book your seat here.

If you can’t join us, then you can stay up to date on our X platform @margate_fc from 2:15pm on Saturday afternoon.

STADIUM ADDRESS

SILVER JUBILEE PARK

TOWNSEND LANE

LONDON

NW9 7NE

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