Reserves 1 Cray W Reserves 1 Kent League Div 1

[BlueGate Alan]

A much more skilful Margate side, boasting fringe players from the first team squad, finally put paid to a Cray side that niggled at them throughout the game, with sub John Greaves scoring the winning goal on his Margate debut with just 5 minutes left.

 

In the 13th minute Nick Tradwell put in an inswinging corner from the left which Luke Roberts, the Cray keeper, did well to punch away from under his bar. Three minutes later Curtis Robinson headed into the net from an Aaron Quain free kick but was denied by the linesman flag giving offside. Masade Eboneezer, playing down the middle, then showed his skill going on a run at the defence but his shot got deflected over the bar. Another free kick on the right by Quain, once again found Robinson but this time his downward header went wide of the left post.

 

Daryn Vanhinsberg then gave away a free kick on the D of the penalty area and must have been relieved to see Jason Stuart's shot go straight into Mark Beresford's arms. Stuart then swung a corner across the goal and Paul Axon was alive to the danager at the far post and cleared it close to the goal line. Tom Hickman, who commanded the midfield, then had the last say of the half hitting a good shot from 30 yards which Roberts just stretched too and clawed it into his body.

 

In the 57th minute Vanhinsberg hit a screamer from 30 yards but saw it go wide of the left post. Three minutes later Hickman threaded a lovely ball through to Eboneezer who cut in from the left and fired his shot just over the bar. Axon then put Luke Coleman through on the left, who cut in but fired his shot straight at Roberts. Quain then went on a run and found John Greaves, who had replaced Axon, his cross found Coleman in the middle but he mishit his shot.

 

Despite Margate dominance, Cray gave them a scare in the 84th minute, when Jamie BcCade hit a long range effort which was dipping towards the goal but Beresford caught it comfortably under his bar. This spurred Margate into action and a lovely through ball by Coleman found Eboneezer on the right who crossed it first time finding Greaves who gratefully volleyed the ball into the net.

 

Cray nearly hit back straight away when a corner on the right was swung over and Beresford somehow clawed the ball away from his top right hand corner, it then found Scott Manzi who hit a powerful shot at goal but Treadwell managed to head it off the line. The final chance of the game fell to Greaves who was found by an Eboneezer cross on the right but his powerful header was right at Roberts.

 

Team: Mark Beresford, Ryan Harker, Daryn Vanhinsberg (Elliott Payne 76th minute), Curtis Robinson (Olti Keci 80th min), Nick Treadwell, Paul Axon (John Greaves 70th min), Kieran Morris, Tom Hickman, Masade Eboneezer, Luke Coleman, Aaron Quain.

 

Att about 40.