MFC 0 Slough Town 1

[Wellsie]

Match headlines (I use the term loosely), commentary highlights (ditto) and reaction form Chris Kinnear on www.margate-fc.com now.

[Wellsie]

Match report now on www.margate-fc.com.

[BUFC]

Taken from TK Forum

 

 

FA Cup 3rd qual

 

Margate 0 Slough 1

 

Attendance 410

Admission £10

Programme £2

 

A bit of a shock as Margate went out of an FA competition to step 4 opposition for the second successive week, the Gate's only two defeats this season, although both Slough and Maidstone are probably among the favourites to win their respective step 3 divisions.

 

Margate created a few chances from penalty box melees but always struck them wide. Their best chance to score was in the first half. A simple pass would have left Carl Rook in a one on one but the midfielder took too long and then passed to someone else. Even Margate's goalkeeper was screaming at the midfielder for not having the vision to see the pass. Overall Slough deserved their win. They brought a large away support with them, probably just under 100.

 

This was my first visit to Hartsdown since they knocked the place down and ran away to Dover in 2002. I wasn't aware that it's now a three sided affair. The old wooden main stand side is now a row of portacabins just a few feet from the pitch with hardstanding behind the far goal and flanking two 'arena' stands on other side. Mercifully they had the common sense not to demolish the club house and terrracing behind the other goal, so there is still some semblance of a proper football ground here.

 

There's clearly an enthusiastic bunch involved with Maragte and they're doing a lot of things right. Excellent programme, clear tannoy, two tea-bars, well-stocked club shop (loads of old programmes in one corner) and team sheets freely available by a voluntary donation box.

 

Margate itself is looking a little ragged, even Primark appeared to be half-empty on a Saturday afternoon. I find it strange to comprehend that this is a town in my county, even though there are plenty of deprived areas in Kent. It's weary, deprived and forgotten, reminding me in some ways of a visit to Whitehaven about 20 years ago (which has been tarted up now so I'm told). That said the Turner gallery fits in well with the sea-front and there's a bar at the end of the harbour wall, which is an interesting place to go for a beer. There's also a pub called the Lifeboat (once voted CAMRA's best cider pub) near the sea-front, an excentric little place with a rack of ciders and beers in the middle of the pub served straight from the barrel. It should be a criminal offence to neglect this place just in order to 'tick' the rather dreary poxy Wetherspoons a few minutes away (you know who you are )