Watt Pleased With Leiston Point

Manager Steve Watt saluted his side after they picked up a deserved point away at Leiston on Tuesday evening.

A closely contested game, which swung end to end, a late equaliser from Jack Evans earned The Gate a draw against an opposition Watt rates highly.

“Leiston is a very difficult place to come at the best of times, we didn’t have a particularly good journey up here, we arrived a bit late and it made it a tougher test than it was already.”

“Leiston are a good side, they have a chance for a play-off spot at the end of the season and to come up here and get a point, if you’d offered us that beforehand, I think we would have taken it.”

With 2-2 the final score, Watt admitted his side lacked the quality shown during their recent unbeaten run but demonstrated other qualities to grind out a result.

“Leiston played very well and we weren’t quite at it. We had our spells but we weren’t our normal dominant selves and I think the game was spoilt by an individual.”

“I can’t give the boys enough credit for their will to not give up. We’ve shown that a lot this season and we’re disappointed to concede a goal late on but the determination and belief from the team to get the point was fantastic.”

Having drawn 2-2 against the Suffolk side twice this season, Watt believes Leiston could play an influential part in deciding the 2017/18 Bostik League play-off finalists.

“It’s a very, very good point for this stage in the season. Leiston will go on to play a number of teams in and around us and I fully believe they’ll take lots of points off of them, like they did Billericay.”

A good point was marred by a manic final 10-minute spell, when the visitors were reduced to nine men. Having enjoyed an exemplary disciplinary record so far this season, Watt was disappointed with both dismissals.

“I’ve never known a player be sent off for laughing at an opponent which is what Jordan’s second yellow was for.”

“Sam’s for simulation – I think a referee with more common sense doesn’t send the player off. Sam wasn’t trying to get a penalty, there was slight contact and I definitely didn’t think it warranted a sending off.”

Ruling two important players out of future action, it’s a disappointing take home for Watt but the Margate manager believes his squad has the attributes required to march on.

“I’m not sure when the suspensions will kick in, I think they’ll be available for the trip to Hendon on Saturday but we will have to look at things from there.”

“The team is hard working and they give their all for every minute they’re out there and for the fans who travelled this evening, I’m pleased we got that goal so they could go home in a positive frame of mind.”

“I said before the game, it was important we don’t string negative results back-to-back which we haven’t and we’ve got a point which is good ahead of a tough trip to Hendon on Saturday.”

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