'Gate Concede 93rd Minute Leveller

Margate conceded a 93rd minute equaliser at the Harlow Arena as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Harlow as their winless streak stretched to five games in all competitions. 

The Blues welcomed Matt Bodkin into the side in place of Orlando Smith who had a toe injury whilst Jordan Chiedozie again partnered Jay May up front with 17 year old Henry Ikeije making the bench after his FA Youth Cup heroics in the week.

The wind from Storm Brian was playing havoc over the Essex skies as both sides struggled to cope with the 50mph conditions with the ball spending a lot of time swirling in the air in the early encounters.

With the wind in their favour it was the hosts who created the early chances with Lenny Pidgeley needing to be on his toes early on to punch clear a swirling corner that nearly fell under the keepers bar.

It took Margate a good 20 minutes to get a hold on the game and it was mainly coming through the pace of Bodkin who saw his delightful cross just miss the huge target of May up front who was still looking for his first Margate goal.

That elusive first goal was to arrive just minutes later though as the former Maidstone United striker rose highest at the back post to head the ‘Gate in front from a Dave Martin corner.

Margate seemed happy to be heading into the half time break against the wind with their 1-0 lead and the back four and Pidgeley were dealing with everything that Harlow threw at them knowing that that they would have the wind in their favour in the second half.

Steve Watts’s side should have doubled their advantage just minutes into the second half as another impressive Martin corner was swung in headed just inches wide from Liam Friend when it appeared easier to score.

The Gate thought they were further ahead in the 60th minute as Martin swung in another delightful free kick which cannoned off a Harlow defender before falling just inches wide of the far post to avoid the embarrassment of an own goal by the centre half.

It was all the visitors with the wind behind them and in the 74th minute they missed a golden opportunity to wrap up the three points as Chris Sessegnon delivered an awesome cross which found Bodkin completely unmarked from six yards out but he put his header wide of the far post as another chance went begging for the Gate.

Margate were made to pay in the dying seconds of injury time for their missed chances as Harlow equalised in the 93rd minute as Alex Read pounced on some slack defending to poke the ball home in the box past Pidgeley and send Margate back to Kent with just one point instead of the three that they were so close to claiming.

MARGATE: Pidgeley, Sessegnon, Mills, Rogers, Friend, Wynter, Bodkin, Evans, May, Chiedozie (Ikeije 77’), Martin (Prescott 86’)

Subs Not Used: Lee, Stannard, Swift

Attendance: 168

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