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The Latest with Margate FC 'Gate See Off Merstham Margate put in a dominant display on Tuesday 15th February as they ran out 2-0 winners over Merstham at Hartsdown Park in the Isthmian Premier Division. The hosts may have been forgiven for thinking it wasn’t going to be their night before a ball was even kicked as full back Crossley Lema picked up an injury and had to be replaced by right back by Harrison Hatfull. That injury didn’t deter the Blues though as they raced out the traps looking for that early goal that had eluded them in their previous two fixtures. Both James Bessey-Saldanha and Benas Vaivada had early opportunities denied in the opening fifteen minutes, as Margate looked to make a quick start on a blustery Tuesday evening on the South coast. On-loan Gillingham striker Joseph Gbode was impressing again as he flicked the ball onto Vaivada who couldn’t quite make the most of his opportunity. It was definitely the hosts in the ascendency and Bola was next to test the Merstham keeper Sami Tiemcani in the 28th minute as he spun his defender before seeing his shot well saved.
The Blues fans who had just watched two 0-0 draws on the bounce may have been forgiven for thinking it could be the same again, however, on 32 minutes the hosts broke the deadlock as a Vaivada corner fell to Ben Swift who nudged into the direction of Bola who stroked home to give the Blues the advantage. Having lost Lema before the game, Margate then lost their other full back Joe Anderson on the left in the 51st minute as he was replaced by George Lamb, however, the young full back slotted in nicely as Margate continued their dominance. Firstly, Sam Blackman saw his header go narrowly wide before Bessy-Saldanha and Lewis Knight also saw chances to extend Margate’s lead go begging. Although only 1-0, Margate seemed in control as Vaivada continued to impress for the Blues. It was his next effort that was well saved before Swift was denied by Tiemcani from a Ben Greenhalgh cross. The visitors only real chance of note came in the 81st minute as Luke Cook saw an effort fly harmlessly wide of Ben Bridle-Card’s goal and it looked like Margate would have to settle for just the 1-0 win until the dying moments, as Greenhalgh superbly raced down the right into the area, before striking a beautiful shot into the far-left corner to ensure all three points were staying at Hartsdown Park. MARGATE: Bridle-Card, Hatfull, Anderson (Lamb 51’), Agyemang, Knight, Swift, BesseySaldanha (Rutherford 79’), Blackman, Gbode (Greenhalgh 76’), Bola, Vaivada
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