Sandmann Pleased With Progress

Joint Manager, Mike Sandmann reflected on a good first week back at pre-season, as the Margate squad assembled to begin preparations for the 2018/19 campaign.

With the assistance and guidance of Fitness Coach, Timmy Warden, Margate players have been putting in the work on the training pitch, building fitness and conditioning for a series of pre-season fixtures to take place over the next month across Kent.

Just a few days into the pre-season schedule, Sandmann is pleased to be back working alongside Steve Brown and a playing squad of both new and more familiar faces.

"It's great to be back working with the players again. The summer break has gone quickly and we're fully focused on getting the boys back into a tempo again. The first week is a tough one for players, we've worked them hard, pushed them and it's proven to be a productive few days."

With a couple of training sessions under their belt, a mixed squad of senior and young players travelled to Deal Town on Saturday afternoon. 

In hot temperatures, it was the first occasion for The Gate management team to assess their players' match fitness and for the players themselves to get  valuable minutes under their belt.

"Getting the first game of pre-season ticked off is a good marker. We knew Deal would be a good first opponent for us which they proved to be and I thought the boys did well. Our main aim was to give as many players, as many minutes as possible without picking up any injuries. We've managed to do that with some extra positives to take away."

One such positive, the performance of a number of younger players given the opportunity to impress in the absence of a handful of first team players.

"I was really impressed by some of the performances. It's encouraging to finish a game strongly with a team where the average age is 22. There were some good periods of possession and pockets of play when the boys showed confidence, plus it was a great chance for them to benefit from playing alongside some of the strong and experienced players we have."

It's set to be an intense week for the team with another pre-season fixture against Sevenoaks on Tuesday evening, alongside training sessions scheduled either side. Following that, The Gate return to Hartsdown Park to host Football League side Gillingham FC, which is an occasion Sandmann is looking forward to.

"It will be nice to get back home to Hartsdown. It should be a good game for fans to enjoy. Gillingham will be another kind of test for us and I have no doubt, with another week of hard work under our belts, we'll be in an even better position."

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