Margate Climb To 7th in Bostik Premier With Solid Win Over Leatherhead

Margate extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight games as they overcome a strong Leatherhead side 2-0 in a very wet Surrey on Wednesday evening.

?Heavy rain battered Fetcham Grove all evening as the Blues made one change from Saturdays 1-1 draw against Harrow Borough with Jordan Chiedozie replacing Jay May after serving his three game ban for a red card at Worthing.

It was an even opening to the game with neither side creating much in the way of opportunities until the eighth minute as Liam Friend sprayed a superb ball out to the left which Chiedozie ran on to before firing a low cross which was turned home by the unlikely source of Tom Mills to give the Gate a 1-0 lead.

The early lead was under threat from the moment the Blues took the lead as former AFC Wimbledon Jack Midson forced a great save from Lenny Pidgeley who had to dive full stretch to tip round a glancing header around the post.

Midson was causing problems with his presence as he again rose highest from a corner which was headed downwards before being deflected over the bar. Pidgeley was called into action minutes later as he was forced into tipping another Midson header over the bar to keep the Blues slender lead intact.

Margate almost doubled their advantage as Chiedozie raced onto a long Chris Sessegnon ball before showing great trickery to round two Leatherhead defenders before blasting his effort over the bar.

With the rain continuing to lash down throughout the half time break, both sides started the second half looking to grab an early goal and it was the visitors who thought they had extended their lead as Frannie Collin turned home from a low cross only for the linesman’s flag to be raised.

The Blues had the ball in the back of the net again minutes later as Orlando Smith saw a fierce shot cannon back off the bar which then fell to Chiedozie who shot was parried away straight on to the head of Collin who nestled the ball into the bottom corner only for the linesman’s flag to be raised again.

Despite controlling the second half Leatherhead almost drew level in the 69th minute as a low cross along the six yard line evaded everyone as Margate sighed a breath of relief.

Margate put the game to bed in the 73rd minute as Chiedozie on his return to the team raced through the Leatherhead back four before calmly slotting away a fine effort into the bottom corner to extend the Blues lead to 2-0.

David Martin almost added a third deep into injury time as he raced down the left before seeing his low shot saved by the foot of the Leatherhead keeper.

Margate’s win sees them climb to 7th in the Bostik Premier League and sees their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight games.

MARGATE: Pidgeley, Sessegnon, Mills, Rogers, Friend, Wynter, Smith (Bodkin), Prescott, Chiedozie (Ikeije), Collin, Martin

Subs Not Used: Swift, Stannard, Bray 

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