DJ Enjoying Start At HDP

Three points and a clean sheet makes for a perfect afternoon at Hartsdown Park and Margate defender Dan Johnson was pleased he and his team-mates could deliver a first win of the season against Lewes on Saturday.

Speaking after the game, Johnson said:

“It was nice to be back at home and I thought we done well today. We did what we needed to, to get the win. We took our chances when they came along, we got the clean sheet by cutting out the silly mistakes, so it was nice to get the first win!”

“In the last couple of games, we’ve played well and been a good defensive unit behind the ball, it has just been individual mistakes that have cost us. Today we cut them out and proved we can defend really well as a team.”

In scorching sunshine at HDP, The Gate had to show resilience and ride out some periods of pressure from their opponents and Johnson felt Margate equipped themselves well against The Rooks.

“When you’re 1-0 up, it’s a bit of a dodgy score line to keep hold of but I thought we were solid behind the ball and we knew we would get an opportunity as they threw bodies forward. Kads took his chance well which calmed the nerves, so we just had to see it out.”

“Lewes came here with a plan and they did half of it well, but our quality shone through in the end, especially in the final third. It’s good to grind out a win, you cannot always play the best football but if you can win when you’re not at your best, that’s a good sign.”

A win has been coming for Margate and Johnson believes as the weeks go by, the squad will only jel better together.

“Near enough the whole team is new, I think there are only about three players who are here from last season. It’s been tough during pre-season to get to know each other but we want to get a run going where we pick up the points and stay together as unit and get to know how each other plays.”

Having made the move from Princes Park over the summer, Johnson has slotted into the centre back role alongside Ben Swift as easily as he has slotted into the club as a whole.

“I’m really enjoying it here. It’s a great club that has got ambition. We are a young side but we’re all here to do the same thing; to win football games. It’s a nice club to be at.”

As focus turns to Saturday’s BetVictor Isthmian League game against Worthing, Johnson believes home form will be crucial for the 2019/20 campaign.

“When we are at home, we’ve got to fancy ourselves to go out there and deliver you a performance that will entertain the crowd and do us justice at home.”

“We’ve got to win our home games to make sure we do well in this league. It’s a tough league to go away from home and pick up points, so we’ve got to make sure we win at home which I’m sure we will.”

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