Sandmann Pleased With Win

Joint Manager Mike Sandmann admitted his side were not at their best on Saturday afternoon but were pleased with a positive second half display which earnt a 3-2 victory against Horndean.

Speaking after the match, Sandmann said:

“The result makes it look a little closer than it was, but I think bar the last five minutes, we were very dominant and deserved our win.”

“The most important thing was to get into the next round of the FA Cup. We talk about leagues and form but they’re irrelevant in these one-off type games.”

Sandmann revealed an honest half-time team-talk took place and he was pleased with how the hosts responded.

“We were not happy with the first half at all, we didn’t compete or perform how we have been in recent weeks. We didn’t have the same energy or intensity, so we spoke about that at half time and pleasingly there was a reaction.”

The Margate management team handed two debuts to George Brown and Stephen Okoh, both made a positive first impression on Sandmann.

“I was really pleased with how the two boys got on, they give us some more attacking options.”

“I’m delighted George got Man of the Match and I think he is only going to get better as the games go on.” 

“Okoh has played his first game in months today due to various injuries and knocks he has had, and I think he was excellent. They both gave us another dimension and are dangerous in a 1v1 situation.”

Whilst the debutants made a good impression, Sandmann was also pleased to see defender Ben Swift and Lee Prescott slot into the side too. 

“Swifty and Press haven’t had as many minutes as they would have liked, so it was an opportunity for them to both get 90 minutes. Wynter and Rogo have played every game for us so far, so it was a chance to give them some rest.” 

Before kick-off, The Gate announced the signing of former Premier League striker Leroy Lita. An exciting signing for the club, Sandmann is confident Lita can make a positive impact upon the team. 

“Leroy trained with us on Monday and Thursday and looked really sharp. Having a player of his quality and experience will be fantastic for the dressing room and good for the team.”

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