U23's Go Top

By Paul Meade

Margate moved back to the top of the SCEFL Development League on Friday evening with a very impressive 5-0 victory over Herne Bay in front of a very healthy crowd.

The Gate knew they had to start quickly against The Bay and this paid off with a fine right foot shot from Raju Ahmed as early as the 9th minute from a Kodie Bristow cross 1-0.

With Ahmed a constant threat down the left hand side, it was his cross this time that was met by Bristow and he thought he had scored on 42 mins, the 'Gate's second, but it was deflected onto the crossbar.

There were excellent, positive, driving, midfield runs from Reece Greig, Morgan Page, and Loui Hoxha, with good support from full backs Tyler Lee and Chidu, alongside solid defensive partnership of skipper Nathan Geddes and Fenn Roberts. to bring the 'Gate into the interval 1-0 up.

The second half started the same as the first, with a fine pass from Owen Wilkinson into Bristow who’s first time effort went wide. Margate started to dominate and 'keeper Alfie Longford, despite having a quiet evening, was always alert to Herne Bay's powerful strikers.

That dominance was finally rewarded with The 'Gate's second, after an intricate piece of sharp passing between Page culminating in a powerful first time strike from MOTM Reece Greig, 2-0. It would be Reece Greig again bagging his brace from a powerful header on 74 minutes to make it 3-0 from a Hoxha corner.

Margate continued to press high, and the introduction of Margate substitutes, Charlie Meade and Danny Martin maintained that pressure. It was Meade that made it four in the 81st min, after reacting the quickest to his own initial shot rebounding off the post, after a sharp pass from Owen Wilkinson 4-0.

But the goal of the game was left until the 90th minute, when a great cross field pass from left back Chidu was brought down by Danny Martin who flicked the ball over the defenders head and volleyed into the top left corner sealing a fine 5-0 victory.

Herne Bay were a credit to their town and club as they never stopped playing and displayed an excellent attitude to the end.

UP THE 'GATE

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