Margate Return To Winning Ways

By Tom Morris

The Gate return to winning ways on the road, as George Brown scores for the third game in a row.

After passing a 10am pitch inspection due to heavy rain, the weather improved and The Gate made the 90-mile trip to the Patex Stadium. 

Joint managers Mike Sandmann and Steve Brown made several changes as Jordy Robins was restored to the starting line-up with Tom Murphy and George Brown flanking Alex Flisher up front.

In the opening exchanges, both sets of players tried to get a foothold on the game and the very muddy pitch, and staying on their feet was proving to be quite the challenge.

The first chance of note came when Mergim Quarris picked up as loose ball and fired over from 25 yards with the ball nestling in the lake behind Henry Newcombes’s goal. 

The Gate had several free-kicks in the Potters Bar half of the field but failed to really test the goalkeeper.

On 36 minutes one such free-kick almost led to the opening goal but Sean Grace got just enough of his head on the ball to steer it back to Berkeley Laurencin in the Potters Bar goal. 

The pressure was mounting and in the 44th minute Brown scored his third goal in his last three appearances. Murphy nicking the ball off the Potters Bar defence, moved towards goal down the left-hand channel, his cut back cross was dummied by Frannie Collin 12 yards from goal where Brown, arriving late into the box, slammed home. 

After two minutes of added time the referee blew, and the teams went back to the changing rooms with the score 1-0 to Margate.

Sid Sollis came on in place of Murphy and the second half started much like the first, the game was end to end but in muddy conditions neither side was able to fashion a goal scoring chance. 

Potters Bar had a succession of corners, but the Gate defence held firm and cleared the danger on each occasion.

Then in the 58th minutes Jack Paxman and Brown played a neat one, two, releasing Brown down the right channel, his cross into the six-yard box rebounded off Collin and Berkeley Laurencin and Paxman, arriving at speed, headed the ball against the post! 

The ball looked destined to go over the line and reacting first, Collin tapped home and gave The Gate a 2-0 lead.

Potters Bar reacted positively to going two goals down and started to apply pressure to The Gate defence. In the 67th minute an in swinging free-kick was glanced into the far corner by Sean Grace, and the deficit was halved. 

Chris Barnard replaced Lee Prescott to freshen up the midfield as Margate weathered the storm, both from the deteriorating weather conditions and the attacking play from Potters Bar. 

Fortunately, the Gate held on and could so easily have won 3-1 when in added time Sollis cut in from the left and curled a peach of a shot straight onto the crossbar with the keeper well beaten. 

After six minutes of time added on, the game ended and Margate secured a valuable three points.

Margate are next in action at home to Wingate and Finchley on Saturday December 8th. Purchase your tickets here.

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