Blues Put On Classy Second Half Performance

By Josh Cole

A great performance from Margate in the second half saw us win 4-1 at Hartsdown Park against Concord Rangers!

The game started in an ideal way for the visitors as they went one up inside two minutes. Number eight, who caused problems all game, fizzed a low cross into the box and number nine slotted it past Hobbs.

It was a tentative first 20 minutes from Margate, unable to really string any attacks together and it was the same for Concord, who were unable to punish in the final third.

The 30th minute came around and Ben Greenhalgh’s side woke up.

In a 15-minute spell at the end of the first half it was all Margate, with the Concord ‘keeper pulling off save after save to keep it 0-1.

The best chance fell to Franzen-Jones after the ‘keeper parried a Rutherford shot right into the path of the ‘Gate #9, but he put the shot wide.

Rutherford was strutting his stuff in this period of the game, and he came so close to scoring a worldie as he curled an effort from about 25 yards which was tipped around the post by the ‘keeper.

Fans and players alike couldn’t quite believe we were 0-1 down going into the break.

But it was the perfect response from the Blues as just a minute into the second half, energetic midfielder, Davey precisely fired a shot into the bottom corner from outside the box.

Ababio, who had been a handful all game, finally popped up with a goal. Luck was on his side as he got a fortunate rebound which sent the ball past the Concord backline and he got onto the end of it to finish, with his left, past the goalie!

Just five minutes later, Lukas Franzen-Jones would get onto the scoresheet as he demonstrated impressive strength to hold off a defender and finish with aplomb, making it 3-1!

Throughout the second half Margate continued to dominate but couldn’t convert their array of corners into goals.

The fourth and final goal came right at the death, as an Ababio shot was palmed right into the path of Bowman, and he pounced on the loose ball to put it into the net!

Ben Greenhalgh says he side showed brilliance to comeback from adversity early on: “After a sloppy first 20 minutes, I thought we were absolutely brilliant, the main positive was that we went on to dominate most of the first half, in the end and create loads of chances, we didn’t score any, which could have come across as a massive negative, as we were 1-0 down at halftime, but we were patient and we continued to keep creating chances.”

“If you look at where we are at the end of the game scoring four goals in the second half, and this is what we want, we want to play attacking and exciting football, but there is stuff to work on, the first fifteen minutes were flat and it was a silly mistake to give away the ball and give them a chance to score an early goal but it was good character to comeback!”

Margate 1st Half Team: Reece Hobbs, Ross Craig, Lewis Knight, Tyrone Sterling, Trialist A, Trialist B, Fyn Rutherford, Trialist C, Jordon Ababio, Ben Greenhalgh, Lukas Franzen-Jones.

Margate 2nd Half Team: Reece Hobbs, Harrison Hatfull, Harry Hudson, Tyrone Sterling (Nathan Geddes 72’), Ross Craig, Trialist B (Harvey Brand 60’), Brandon Davey, Fyn Rutherford, Jordon Ababio, Ben Greenhalgh (Loui Hoxha 72’), Lukas Franzen-Jones (Vinnie Bowman 60’).

Goalscorers: Brandon Davey 47’, Jordon Ababio 54’, Lukas Franzen-Jones 59’, Vinnie Bowman 89’.

Margate Media Player Of The Match: Jordon Ababio

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