DID NOT DESERVE TO LOSE

[ooh!!bodyform]

cAme away today dissapointed with the result i thought the boys were much better today and did not deserve to lose and that came also from more than 3 Dover fans on the way out the ground they expected to hammer us and to be fair we all expected it too but Dover are not as good as i expected and 1-0 was not a fair reflection of the game referee was dire every free kick was against us(ok most) and thier keeper should have been walking in the last minute and a free kick on the very edge of the box could have rescued a point, i personally dont think Dover are the favourites everyone thinks they are maybe they just had a bad day but margates improvement was immense well done lads you deserved the raptuous round of applause you got at the end.

[ooh!!bodyform]

have to add that paul smith added something extra in defence we seemed alot stronger when under attack but still a little weak on the wings

[michael]

Great to hear that the guys got desreved applause.

 

Season starts now-onwards and upwards.

[blue balls]

Was a decent effort for 90 mins today not just 45. Desperately need another striker though, can't see where goals are going to come from. Boy, how we miss Pinns!

[Dutch_Mike]

Very very unlucky today. Played well for me, and deserved a point. Battled well all game and, for the most part, contained Dover. Scott, in fairness, had very little to do, except for the scare in the first 10 minutes.

 

Defence were very impressive today for me; L.Smith and, in particular, Young were awesome. Gregory also had a decent game at left-back and, when he came on, Hickman, for the majority of the game, looked solid enough.

 

Paul Smith made the difference, though. Sitting in front of the back four, he looked to have so much time on the ball every time he had it, casually stroking the ball around. You could see he still has the footballing brain, even if he doesn't have the legs anymore. And the three lads in front of him, Wilson, Stubbs and Morris, never stopped running and really compacted the middle, making it hard for Dover to play through us. Although this obviously meant they had more room down the wings, the full-backs and, when the ball was delivered, the centre-backs did their jobs well.

 

We really missed a centre-forward today, though. Peters did a lot of running, for his part but, to be honest, should have buried the chance that came his way. Coleman, on for the disappointing Power, was poor. Shame not to see Pratt on the bench (work commitments, perhaps?), because I certainly think he adds more to the team than Coleman did. Would like to have seen him given his chance (as I'm sure he would have) when Power limped off.

 

Overall, we deserved a point. The lads will certainly play worse and win this season (cliche, I know), and this was a lot LOT more encouraging than Saturday. Nice to see the fans giving the lads a well-deserved round of applause at the end.

 

Just to agree with Johnno, the referee was abysmal today. Gave every 50-50 to Dover and how he did not give anything for the scything down of Peters by the Dover 'keeper, I will never know. Really could have cost us a point.

 

Dover will do well this season; they're solid at the back (as much as it pains me to say it, Schulz is a top defender), and they will probably score against most teams. But, looking at other results today, you never can predict this league (Canvey thumping 'Ricay, anyone? Hornchurch drawing against Heybridge?).

 

Fair play to the lads: played well, and were unlucky.

[CT9]

Got to agree with the commitment on show. Very good.

I know a lot of us were enraged about their goal keeper at the end. Yet, I thought, he made the save first and then collided with Peters which, at the pace they were both going, looked inevitable. Had Peters managed to actually get his lob over the keeper then the outcome would have been different.

That white caterpillar tunnel was a good idea so that we all stayed and clapped every man off the pitch, margate players that is!

Just wondering how many injuries/suspensions are mounting up for our next game though. Looked like quite a few walking wounded to me. Power, Corbishley, Mullin (in plaster and on crutches), Parkinson, Pratt and possibly Peters. Plus the red card for Young from Saturday.

 

[BluePineapple]

I was really encouraged by today's performance. Really expected to lose by 4 or 5 and really thought that we deserved a share of the points if not all 3.

 

I hope that lads took heart from being clapped off the field, they are deserved it.

 

Just hope that we can take that kind of performance on to the next game and maybe get all 3 points.

 

Up the Gate

[BIG_RON]

Can only agree with the above comments, What a difference from saturday.

Alot of credit has to go to P. Smith, even without the legs to run too much he found space for himself and marshalled the younger lads really well, a calming influence with a little bit of steel when needed, really noticed the difference when he was subbed.

Ryan really should have put us in front when one on one with their keeper but waited too long.

Also think the times come to give Pratt his chance as Power just is'nt living up to his name.

Probably should have got something from the foul on Peters at the end but these things tend to even themselves out over the season.

Another good display from Wilson and Stubbs, have they had a bad game yet?

All in all I was proud of the lads today and if we carry on in that vain it won't be too long before we're picking up points.

 

 

[Cookie]

Thats how I saw the incident too Hippy.I still claimed a penalty with all the others though despite what I saw. You never know do you.

On two occasions Peters absolutely & without a shadow of doubt i.m.o. should have scored.But to fair to him he seemed a little bit more interested today than he has been in previous matches.He just needs some help up there(I still maintain he would be more threatening running at defenders).

[acdc]

I was disgusted with Dover today.I know they are desperate to win the league but if they think they can do it by kicking people they certainly won't win any friends.There were 3 seriously bad tackles which all resulted in yellow cards and countless others.The Peters incident at the end was a definate penalty and the goalie should have gone.Peters chased a long ball had it under control and lobbed it over the keeper.He tried to go round the keeper and was totally wiped out being flat on the floor for 3 or 4 minutes.Had he got round the keeper he would have scored.

As others have said the lads did great today.I think Dover also played well and will do well this season,they passed the ball around well but could not break us down.This makes our effort today all the better.Paul Smith made the difference and everybody backed him up.Well Done.