Blues Earn Late Draw To Force Replay

By Dylan Smith

A cagey affair in the second qualifying round of the FA cup ends in a 2 – 2 draw. Two equalisers for the ‘Gate from Steve Cawley and Antonis Vasiliou, were enough the put the Blues in Monday’s draw.

The tie started with the away side on top, Margate were struggling in possession and couldn’t find a way to get the team up the pitch. With only three minutes played, the Seasiders took the lead, Ibrahim Olutade headed home after a cross from the right wing.

Despite going a goal down early on, Margate didn’t let their heads drop. Tyrone Sterling went very close to bringing the scoreline level, as his header from a Ben Greenhalgh free kick bounced off the crossbar and out of play.

As the half went on, there wasn’t much to shout about. A few tame efforts from either side were the best anyone could create, leaving the feisty affair with everything to play for going into the interval 1-0 to the visitors.

Margate came out the better side in the second half, keeping the ball ticking in Folkestone’s third. This led to Sam Blackman being brought down in the box. After a fierce appeal from the ‘Gate supporters the decision was no penalty.

Five minutes later, the Seasiders would face the consequences for their rough style of play. Ryan Khanye saw red after he fouled Harrison Hatfull just outside the box, giving him a second yellow and an early shower.

With a quarter of an hour left on the clock, the ‘Gate found their much-deserved equaliser. Substitute Vasiliou worked his way down the right flank, put in a brilliant ball to Cawley who headed goalwards, the keeper managed to palm the ball to the side, but it wouldn’t be enough to stop Cawley from adding to his FA cup account.

Without seeing much of the ball in the second half due to being down to ten men, the Seasiders had seemingly won the tie with a screamer in the 86th minute. Ira Jackson managed to turn his man and rifle the ball into the top right corner, making the game 2-1 and all but end the Blues potential cup run, despite being on the back foot for the majority of the second half.

Fortunately, the classic phrase ‘magic of the FA cup’ came into fruition again. With seven minutes of stoppage time, Margate were in desperate need of a hero, and they found him. The ball was bouncing all over the Folkestone penalty area after a bombardment of shots. It then fell to Vasiliou who had one attempt saved initially, but he would find the net the second time around, keeping the ‘Gate’s FA cup journey alive.

Furthermore, he nearly went from equalising the game, to winning it all as he had a golden chance in the 96th minute to clinch the tie. Sadly, he would put the ball just wide, meaning the game would finish 2-2.

The boys are ready to do it all over again on Tuesday evening in the replay at Folkestone.

Line-up

Seaden, Hatfull, Johnson, Sterling, Hudson, Blackman, Cawley, Roberts (Cham), Greenhalgh, Rutherford (Vasiliou), Duncanson

Goalscorer(s)

Cawley 74’

Vasiliou 94’

Attendance

692 

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