Margate Settle For Point At Hendon

Margate had to settle for a point at Hendon FC on Saturday afternoon. 

After conceding in the opening minutes, striker Jay May’s deflected strike secured The Gate an equaliser and valuable point to take back to Kent. 

The visitors came unstuck as Hendon took the lead in the opening minutes. A scrappy affair, the hosts finding the clinical touch to tuck the ball beyond the outstretched palm of Margate goalkeeper, Lenny Pidgeley. 

Uncharacteristic errors from Steve Watt’s side afforded Hendon’s pacey strike forces opportunity to ask questions early doors. 

Margate’s own chances limited with Jordan Chiedozie proving a threat out wide, but little clear-cut action to trouble the keeper. 

As the half wore on, so did the physical battle with the aerial contest both ends dictating play. May was causing problems for the Hendon centre-back pairing, his scraps of possession being worked on by Chiedozie, Frannie Collin and Dave Martin but the final unlocking pass or piece of movement lacking.

Free kicks were proving valuable for the visitors and Collin delivered a great set piece, finding the path of May whose on target effort was tipped away from goal by the host’s goalkeeper. Centre-back Liam Friend was positioned well to follow up but his header went over the crossbar. 

Hendon’s pace up front was an underlying threat throughout the opening period but it was Margate who scored next. 

Lee Prescott showed great vision, picking up the ball from midfield and setting May loose down the right-hand side. May brought down the pass with precision, driving into the box and exploiting the time and space afforded to him to strike on goal. 

It was worth the go, as a deflection steered the ball into the back of the net and gave Margate a warranted equaliser before the break. 

After an unfamiliarly flat first 45, Margate upped the tempo from the off in the second half. Chiedozie with a powerful shot deflected away from danger to give the visitors a corner. Martin’s subsequent delivery was gathered by the Hendon goalkeeper at his near post. 

Moments later, Martin’s pace exposed the Hendon defence as he cut through the defensive barrier to whistle an effort towards goal. Not quite dealt with, Chiedozie was ready to pounce but the ball was smothered at his feet. 

As Margate begun to enjoy longer and more constructive spells of possession, Hendon reminded their opponents of their own attacking threat, hitting the side netting after crafting time and space within the 16-yard box. 

Gate reacted well with Chiedozie forcing a smart, reactive save from the host’s keeper whose performance grew more and more impressive with every Margate attack. 

The crossbar was the next barrier to deny Margate, Collin coming agonisingly close with a superb in swinging effort. Chiedozie was next with a cheeky chip after navigating his way through a handful of defenders. 

An entertaining contest for two sides pushing for play-off places, Hendon were next to piece together an attacking move, with Pidgeley doing well to gather the ball after consecutive defensive blocks had previously protected his goal. 

The Gate continued to search for a winning goal and whilst their second half display may have merited it; it just wasn’t to be. 

Honours even at full-time, a point means Margate sit third in the Bostik League after two tough away trips to fellow promotion rivals in the space of four days. 

Pidgeley, Wynter, Friend, Swift, Simpson, Martin (Bodkin), Rogers ©, Prescott (Evans), Collin (Blackman), Chiedozie, May

Unused subs: Lee, Mills

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