Gaffer Reflects on "Frustrating" Win

Margate Manager Jay Saunders admits it was “frustrating” that Haringey Borough were allowed back into the game as Margate ran out eventual 4-2 winners in their Isthmian Premier League clash, despite leading 3-0 at half-time.

Goals from Ben Swift, Kadell Daniel and Elliot Reeves put Margate in a commanding position at the break, however they needed an injury time effort from Kieran Monlouis to secure the points after a Haringey fight back in the second half.

Manager Saunders said, “It was frustrating, it is the story of us this season, we were excellent first half and even in the second half we started slow but we had two good chances to kill the game but we didn’t take them and then we let them back into the game”.

“We shouldn’t be hanging on in there at the end and at 3-0 you would like to think it was game over but for whatever reason this season we are struggling to keep clean sheets”.

After four different scorers against Haringey, Saunders was pleased that the squad now poses a threat across the park, unlike when he arrived at Hartsdown Park last season.

“We were struggling for goals last season when I arrived but could keep clean sheets so I am pleased we tackled that. I have always said this season we have a real threat across the field but we need to start keeping clean sheets”.

“Maybe we are too open at times because we have so many attacking players in the team but it is something we are looking at trying to get the right mix. Losing Sessegnon was a big blow but it was nice to get the goals and the supporters got their money’s worth today”.

League wins at Hartsdown Park have been hard to come by this season with the Blues picking up more points on their travels so far and the boss thinks it is easier to get points on the road because of the style of play of their opposition.

“I have always thought it is easier to get points away from home because teams come at you more. At home we are expected to go at teams which we do and we are too open which is why we draw and lose more at home but away from home you set up more defensively and you hit teams on the break which is why a few teams in this league have better records away from home, but we are looking to address it”.

“Enfield will be a tough test, they have some very good players but we will look to hit them from the off and give them a really good go”.

 Three points moved the Blues to 12 points from the play-off places but Saunders refused to be drawn on whether his side could make a late charge for the play-offs.

“I don’t want to think about it to be honest. The word of the day is consistency and to mount any challenge you need to get a run together which is winning four or five on the bounce and until we are capable of that then we can’t even be thinking of play-offs”.

“I was looking at our run of results and its win, lost, win, lost, win, win, lost, lost and you can’t have that you need five wins a row, one draw and then another three wins and at the moment we aren’t capable of that. We just need to pick an eleven that can go out every week and try and get three points”.

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