Redbridge report + A Negative to a Positive

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A NEW year, a new way and a new found optimism engulfed the Oakside on Monday as Redbridge began 2006 with a performance to silence the often vociferous critics.

 

For the third home game in succession Allan Fenn's Motormen proved that their Herculean task of Ryman Premier Division survival was in no way beyond them and that the light at the end of the tunnel was burning all the more brightly. They couldn't have hoped for a better start to the game when from the first real attack they caught Margate cold to take a fourth minute lead. Carl Allison's prodigious long throw, just one of many weapons in the winger-cum-fullback's armoury, caused panic in the visiting defence and it was Chris Perkins who benefited, scoring with the deftest of flicked headers to put Redbridge ahead.

 

Margate were no doubt stunned into action and after a period of pressure in which striker Adolf Amaoko should really have scored, the Kent side found an equaliser. When Chris Lockwood was outmuscled by Amaoko it seemed that the Margate front man was destined to score and although Lockwood recovered to block his effort, Charlie Taylor followed up to level the game at 1-1.

 

As Redbridge boss Fenn admitted himself, Margate could and probable should have gone into the break with the lead and had it no been for Taylor missing an absolute sitter, then they probably would have done.

"I was really pleased with how we started the game but then we lost our shape midway through the first half," admitted Fenn. "We were very lucky to go in level at the interval and at half time I felt I

needed to change the tactics."

 

Change the tactics he did and with Liam Parrington and Sam Holloway both entering the fray, Redbridge seemed to have a far more settled formation and a much improved defensive stability. With Perkins and Dave Wattley continuing their recently solid partnership at the heart of the back four and with the substitutes playing either side of them, Margate were repelled time and time again. Recent loan signing Chad Miller was battling hard for every ball in the Redbridge attack and it was his industry that helped force the corner from

which the Motormen regained the lead.

 

An excellent cross from the sweet left foot of skipper Keith Rowland found Parrington whose flying volley made it 2-1 to the hosts. With Rowland and Bradley Brotherton seeming to have struck up a midfield understanding and with Allison and Mitch Hahn using their pace and trickery to unsettle the Margate defence, it looked as if Redbridge would soon add to their lead, which they duly did but not before a scare at the other end. Richard Wray was tested to the full when sub Ian Hilaire volleyed the ball goalwards but Wray somehow managed to pull off a miraculous save, one of two from the young stopper on the day, to keep 'Gate at bay.

 

The game was settled as a contest when the talented young winger Hahn picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and arrowed home a delightful right foot strike that left the visiting keeper rooted to the spot to leave his boss in jubilant mood. "In the second half it was all us," Fenn beamed. "Drive, commitment, enthusiasm and heart. This is the Redbridge I want to see every week. "It was a great goal by Mitch Hahn but it was Chris Perkins who stood out for me, organising the defence like a true leader. "Three points but there is a very long way to go and we need to win at least three out five in January to stand a chance."

 

It definitely seems that Fenn has it his side's route to safety all mapped out and on this showing, it would be hard to argue with his permanently positive outlook.

 

 

Sounds very much how our fans who went described the game.

 

NB "Drive"-"Commitment"-"Enthusiasm"-"Heart".

[Graeme H]

Yes this describes the game I saw well. They did play well second half, and we never got into our stride after their second goal.

However I still say that with the exception of Taylor, our players gave everything.He may have done as well, but he is one of those unfortunate players who can give the impression he is not 'up for it'. bit like Rocky.

[Cookie]

Well if they gave everything & it still wasnt enough against the team with one win to their name up till then,it just goes to show how bad our team is! BUT IS IT A BAD TEAM??? Hampton & Richmond must have had a big off day when we played them & I thought it was our team that won the day then,& brilliantly might I add & not because of the opponents being below par on the day.

Come on players you CAN do it! We have all seen it at least once this year. Buck up!!

The next post below is for the benefit mainly for the players, as we know they look into the forum. This is a reminder of what you CAN do guys!

[Cookie]

Thursday 5th of January 2006

 

mfc: Match Reports

 

 

MARGATE 3, Hampton & Richmond 2

Margate remain unbeaten in three league games now, and even more importantly have taken seven from a possible nine points. This was another entertaining encounter against a side that are top of the league. The Blues’ defence came through a stern first half examination and resisted a late Hampton assault as the visitors searched for something from the game. But, another strong performance from Gate – particularly Adolf Amoako and Bill Edwards – steered the home side to a deserved three points.

 

The early exchanges of the game were fairly even, although the visitors did look the more threatening going forward. And indeed it was the Beavers that produced the first clear chance on eight minutes. Hampton won a free kick following a foul by James Donavan on Lawrence Yaku. Dean Wells stepped up to take the free-kick and from 25 yards and hit a superb curling effort that Charlie Mitten did well to push round his left post, for a corner. Unfortunately for the visitors, they were not able to take advantage from Elliot Godfrey’s kick.

 

Then Margate advanced well with new signing Anton Robinson, Osman Sesay, Charlie Taylor and Gavin McGowan all involved before the Hampton defence cleared the ball for a throw-in to Margate. From the throw, Sesay got the ball back and crossed into the Hampton box. His cross was headed part clear, but only as far as John Keister who from just outside the area hit an effort that went high and wide of Matt Lovett’s goal.

 

On 14 minutes, Margate struggled to clear their lines – Kola Okikiolu’s attempted clearance falling straight to a Hampton player who crossed, setting up his colleague, but the eventual effort was weak and Mitten could save easily. Shortly after, Hampton broke quickly and Godfrey tried to squeeze the ball into the goal from a narrow angle but the home defence managed to clear the ball out for a throw-in. From the throw, Steve Sodje’s cross was headed out for a corner by the Margate defence, but Mitten managed to get a hand to Godfrey’s dangerous looking corner although only as far as Dudley Gardner. His cross in cannoned off Robinson and out for another corner that the Blues eventually managed to clear.

 

From that clearance, Margate won a throw-in in an advanced position on the right. Following the throw, Anthony Allman picked the ball up 25 yards from goal but his 25-yard effort was wide of the target. Then Robinson fed a great ball to Amoako whose shot was deflected by the Hampton defence for a corner. On 21 minutes, the corner came in from the right and Bill Edwards in an advanced position got hold of the ball 12 yards from goal and powered in a shot giving the keeper no chance. Amazingly, this was Edwards’ second goal in two games – a benefit of the long-serving defender getting forward on more occasions.

 

Two minutes later, Hampton had a good chance to equalise, but following Godfrey’s corner, Yaku couldn’t connect cleanly with Donavan’s partial clearance and Mitten was able to take the ball comfortably. On 28 minutes, the visitors thought they had scored when the Margate defence failed to clear their area, eventually the ball cannoning into the goal off a defender. But early in the move, the assistant referee had signalled an of-side and so the “goal” did not count.

 

As the half progressed, Margate looked more assured – confidence brought by the opening goal flowing through the team. On 38 minutes, the Hampton defence had to clear desperately off the goal line as Robinson looked to double the Margate lead. Then Keister found Gavin McGowan with a good-looking diagonal ball but his cross cannoned off a defender and out for a corner to the home side.

 

On 41 minutes, Yaku scored a stylish deserved equaliser. Hampton won a free kick on the right, which was played into the Hampton striker just outside the six-yard box. He sensed time and space and dinked a neat overhead kick beyond Mitten and into the far corner of the net.

 

The Beavers had an early second half opportunity to go into the lead. But Dean Wells’ good looking free kick to the far post was not capitalise on – the resulting effort weak and wide of the goal.

 

On 52 minutes, Margate demonstrated their growing confidence with some great attacking play on the right. Robinson and Amoako were instrumental in bringing the ball forward quickly before McGowan hit a rising volley from just inside the area that flew inches over Lovett’s bar. Gate then attacked dangerously on the left, winning a corner. Allman floated the ball to the edge of the six-yard box, Lovett missed it but Amoako was on hand to fire in Margate’s second goal of the game – his sixth of the season (making him top scorer).

 

Hampton again went close on 58 minutes from a corner conceded by Edwards. The corner was floated in to the far post from the right – the ball bouncing around inside the area before a Hampton forward struck the ball against the outside of the angle of bar and post.

 

But however well Hampton did in attacking the Margate area, the Blues looked more dangerous with their own strikes forward. Gate went very close to extending their lead when Taylor found Keister in midfield. Then the Sierra Leon international came into the Hampton area before side-footing a cross for Amoako who just failed to connect. But the danger wasn’t over yet for the Beavers. Allman had picked the ball up on the left and sent in another cross. This time Amoako did take the ball but he sent his effort from eight yards agonisingly wide of Lovett’s right post.

 

In the 67th minute, Margate got the reward for their increasingly exciting attacking play. Margate played a long clearance forward that caught out the Hampton defence. Taylor rounded a defender and then took the ball round Lovett before squeezing his low shot into the corner of the net for Margate’s third goal of the contest.

 

But on 70 minutes, Hampton won a penalty – hand ball given against a Margate defender following a long throw in from the right. Godfrey stepped up and fired the visitors back into the game – giving Mitten no chance. The visitors sensed that they could get something from the game and had one of their best periods of the game following the penalty.

 

On 77 minutes substitute Marcelo Fernandes hit a low shot that Mitten saved, but despite this chance and their possession, the home defence looked to be holding firm. In added-on time, a low powerful Kelvin McIntosh cross from the Hampton right caused panic in the Margate defence, but on one from the visitors’ attacking players could connect with the ball.

 

After the game, Chris Kinnear said that this was a game that would tell us what we need to do to get to the top of the league. He said, “It was a good game. It was exciting and I’m sure the supporters enjoyed it. I think the lads responded and played very well today.”

 

Margate: Mitten, Sesay, Allman, Edwards, Okikiolu, Donovan, Keister, McGowan, Amaoko (Yiga), Taylor, Robinson.

Subs: Egan, Hilaire, Remy, Corbett.

 

Hampton & Richmond: Lovett, Matthews, Sodje (Fernandes), Connor, Paris (Abbey), Wells, Inns, Godfrey, Yaku, Gardner (Boosey), McIntosh.

Subs not used: Elverson, Henry-Hayden.

 

Steve Wells' interview with Chris Kinnear available from mfc:audio

27 Nov 2005 by Steve