Blues Hammer Herne Bay

Margate produced a stunning opening 28-minute display at Hartsdown Park on Tuesday night as they overcome Herne Bay 4-0.

The Club paid their respect to HM Queen Elizabeth II after her passing last week with a minute’s silence followed by the National Anthem as the Blues continued to join the Nation in mourning the death of the longest serving British Monarch.

Manager Andy Drury brought Cameron Brodie back into his side after the FA Cup win eleven days previous, meanwhile Freddy Barton made his full home debut, whist Fjord Rogers also returned to the line-up after being cup tied against Aylesbury United.

The ‘Gate couldn’t have wished for a more storming start on a wet and cold evening at Hartsdown Park as James Bessey-Saldanha superbly laid the ball off to the returning Brodie who hammered the ball home into the top corner after just three minutes.

Margate knew that Herne Bay striker Zak Ansah was their main threat up top with former Margate striker Marcel Barrington, and it was Ansah that forced Amadou Tangara into an early save as the Bay looked to hit back immediately.

The Blues had started rampantly though and were 2-0 up in the 10th minute as Greenhalgh delivered a superb ball into the box which was nodded down by Sam Blackman to Brodie who doubled his and Margate’s tally.

The ‘Gate were in complete control and almost made it 3-0 just a minute later as Rogers almost headed home another fine cross. The ecstatic Margate fans didn’t have to wait long for the third though as Barton swung a ball into the box which narrowly avoided Brodie, only for Captain Greenhalgh to arrive and put the hosts 3-0 ahead.

There wasn’t many in Hartsdown Park that could believe what was happening in front of them as the Blues continued to push forward with Rogers seeing a bullet header well saved as Margate looked hungry to add to their incredible start.

Despite only being the 28th minute, Greenhalgh saved the best of Blues goals until last as he somehow managed to smash home a trademark free-kick from 30 yards out to make it 4-0.

With a four goal advantage the hosts understandably slowed down attacking the visitors goal as the weather turned from bad to worse, however Rogers almost added a fifth just before the half-time whistle.

There looked to be no let up from the hosts in the second half as they continued to play some delightful football with Harrison Hatfull splitting the Bay defence to release Rogers who was this time superbly denied by the visitor’s keeper.

Despite being 4-0 down, the visitors had some resilient defending to thank for not being further behind on the hour mark as Bessey-Saldanha saw his goal bound shot superbly blocked on the line as Margate continued to look for a fifth goal.

Probably to the relief of the visitors, that chance for Bessey-Saldanha was to be the last real attacking action of the evening as the Blues looked to reserve energy for their FA Cup trip to Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday by just knocking the ball around and seeing out the game in a professional fashion.

MARGATE: Tangara, Hatfull, Brodie, Hudson, Cole (McCann 83’), Blackman, Rogers (Smith 66’), Greenhalgh, Barton, Ojemen, Bessey-Saldanha (Howard (75’)

Subs not used: Knight, Kallmeier

Margate Goal scorers

Cameron Brodie 3’

Cameron Brodie 10

Ben Greenhalgh 22’

Ben Greenhalgh 28’

Margate Man of the Match

Ade Cole

Attendance

586

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