U23's Progress To Next Round Of Kent Intermediate Cup

By Paul Meade

On a blustery and very cold Tuesday evening, Margate U23's moved into the next round of The Kent Intermediate Cup with a solid performance and a very hard fought 2-1 victory.

Despite a late kick off due to traffic issues delaying the opposition, along with losing Tom Handley and Chidu Ede being called up to the first team Margate continued with their usual pre match routine.

They started against a well organised Glebe side who’d recently been undefeated in eight games. This was always going to be a much more difficult and different challenge to last Friday’s 8-0 success.

It was The ‘Gate that started with a very high intensity and not allowing the opposition to play out from the back. It was this pressure that forced a poor pass to fullback Tyler Lee whose quick link up play down the right wing with Iman Allam allowed in-form Reece Greig to turn and shoot to open the scoring as early as the sixth minute.

Margate were in control for most of the first half with more pressure and shots from Lee, Greig and Connor Wardle. But it was Glebe who stole a fortunate equaliser after young ‘keeper Blake Winters failed to meet a through ball and the opposition striker lobbed in from 25-yards.

Margate responded well and thought they regained the lead when Allam drove and his cutback was met first time by Greig, but his shot cannoned off the bar.

The second half did not start well for Margate who allowed Glebe to become more positive who then started to create chances of their own. Again, the home team thought they had gone ahead when Lee’s cross found Fabian De Oliveria but his powerful shot was cleared off the line.

The game looked like it would be heading into extra time as both teams were cancelling out each other’s play and great defending by Geddes, Louis Reavill, Tyler Lee and Connier Wardle were instrumental in their efforts keeping Glebe at bay.

Margate brought on Jamie Summers to try and make a change and go on in search of a goal. He almost scored with his first touch but just couldn’t keep his left foot volley down and it sailed over the cross bar.

On 78 mins a double substitution of Finley Saunders and Baileigh Bellem made what was eventually the difference. With the pace of Saunders on the left now causing problems for Glebe defence and two games running it was the Saunders cross that found Bellem who calmly slotted home at the far post to grab the deserved winner.

Margate manager Tur Hoxha post-match thoughts:

“Very happy with the win of course. First half we played some very good football, scored a brilliant goal and we missed a few more opportunities to score more.

“Some of our decision-making wasn't great but the overall performance was really good. But a little bit disappointed with the performance in the second half as it got a bit scrappy, Glebe were a very physical side, we stopped playing football but we managed to get the winner in the end. The boys did well to manage the game it was a typical cup game.”

“We now are in the next round of the cup, unbeaten in 7 and won 5 in a row. So very pleased with our boys.”

UP THE ‘GATE

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