Gate Negotiate Tricky Cup Tie

Margate secured a safe passage into the 2nd Qualifying Round of this seasons Emirates FA Cup as they overcome a resolute Thame United at the ASM Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The ‘Gate needed a last gasp Jake Embery goal on Saturday to take the tie to a replay, and it was the former Herne Bay and Maidstone striker who stole the headlines again, this time for an impressive hat-trick to lead Jay Saunders side through 4-2.

The visitors were up against it in the opening moments and needed a smart save from Pat Ohman to deny Ryan Blake. The ‘Gate soon found their stride as Dan Thompson let fly, however his effort whistled over the bar.

Margate’s downfall on Saturday was not converting chances but Embery made no mistake on 17 minutes as he was found by Bivesh Gurung before moving into space and firing a low drive past Craig Hill.

If Margate believed they would have it all their own way from there they were mistaken as the home side levelled on 23 minutes as a low driven corner found Greg Hackett who drove home a thunderous effort that crashed in off the crossbar to level the scores.

That goal had potential to lift the hosts, however Margate sought to put out that flame within a minute as a short corner was worked to James Bessey-Saldanha who found Lewis Knight who hammered the ball home to restore Margate’s advantage.

Ben Greenhalgh saw a swerving free kick narrowly miss before Embery grabbed his second goal of the night, and undoubtedly the best goal of the evening as he picked up the ball from 40 yards out, spotted Hill off his line and lobbed the keeper from almost the half-way line as memories of David Beckham’s long range effort against Wimbledon all those years ago came flooding back.

Hill departed at half-time for the hosts in goal but his replacement Charlie Barnett could do nothing to stop Margate and in particular Embery as he completed his hat-trick in the 52 minute as he latched onto a knockdown from Thompson before moving into the box and rifling home.

The advantage allowed Saunders to make some changes in the second half as Jack Richards, Montel Agyemang and Vance Bola were introduced in place of Greenhalgh, Sam Blackman and Embery.

Thame reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute as a cross was deflected into the path of Ryan Blake who nodded past Ohman, however the performance from the ‘Gate was enough to seal a next round tie away at Merstham on Saturday 18th September 2021.

Margate Xl: Ohman, Kamara, Anderson, Gurung, Knight, Swift, Bessey-Saldanha, Blackman (Agyemang 66’), Thompson, Embery (Bola 72’), Greenhalgh (Richards 60’)

Subs not used: Kallmeier, Palmer, Lamb, Godo

Goal scorer’s

Embery 17’

Knight 25’

Embery 42’

Embery 52’

Man of the Match

Jake Embery

Attendance

237

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