Blues Suffer Enfield Defeat

By Tom Morris

Margate suffered defeat after a bright start, where clinical finishing was the difference between the two sides.

Margate went into the match on a high after recording a 4-2 victory last weekend at home to Haringey Borough and set about the task of breaking down a resilient Enfield Town. Our first chance in the third minute saw Tommy Lamb dart towards the back post and connect with Ramadan’s cross but on the stretch he could only put the ball over the crossbar.

Four minutes later skipper Ben Swift played a glorious long ball to Jay Porter who took a touch and crossed into the box where Elliot Reeves was waiting, but the striker couldn’t get the required touch to send the ball goal wards.

In the 11th minute, a goal line clearance denied Reeves as he dived onto a loose ball and would have scored with his header had it not been for the tenacity of the ‘Towners fullback. We were applying pressure, a succession of corners yielded shooting opportunities for Prestedge and Daniel and Monlouis fired wide from 20 yards after good play from Porter and Ramadan but despite their best efforts we couldn’t score the first goal of the match.

Momentum shifted in the 28th minute as Della-Verde lined up a free kick from 20 yards and wound have scored had it not been for a superb diving save from loanee Joe Tupper, a succession of corners yielded half chances and Enfield laid siege to the ‘gate goal retaining possession and looking dangerous on the flanks. When the half time whistle blew with the score 0-0 both sets of players were wondering how their team hadn’t taken the advantage.

The second half started with more possession and pressure from Enfield Town, striker Billy Bricknell fashioned a shooting chance that Swift blocked in the 47th minute, before Tupper’s right hand post came to the rescue in the 55th minute as Della-Verde ghosted into the box and shot against the upright.

A minute later we were not so lucky as the ball was recycled and played into the ‘Gate penalty area where Della-Verde was afforded too much time and space to pick his spot and put the visitors one -nil up.

The next 15 minutes or so were ones of frustration for Margate as passes were misplaced, late tackles broke up play and players were struggling to create a clear-cut chance. 

It took another ridiculously good save from Tupper in the 71st minute to deny Della-Verde a second from a direct free kick but like before the defence were slow to react to the loose ball and Bricknell was able to chest down the ball and fire in Enfield’s second goal in the 72nd minute.

We had half a shout for a penalty in the 80th minute for a potential handball but as the referee waved play on Della-Verde broke at pace and fired a shot from range over the bar and into the park. 

The final act saw Enfield score a third goal in the 90th minute as Ryan Blackman picked up the ball in midfield and sent a looping effort over Tupper and into the far corner of the goal. 3-0 Enfield and that is how the game finished after four minutes of injury time. 

Margate: Tupper, Abnett, Porter, Prestedge (Leighton 63’), Friend, Swift ©, Ramadan, Monlouis, Reeves, Daniel, Lamb (Robins 83’)

Subs: Holloway, Sessegnon, Johnson

Margate are next in BetVictor Isthmian League action as we face Merstham away on Saturday February 1st, kick off 15:00.

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