Reserves 5, Cray W Reserves 2, Kent Division 1

[BlueGate Alan]

In an entertaining match Margate finally overcame a spirited Cray side at Hartsdown. With the absence of Robbie Summers who had prior committments, a youthful Margate side were bolstered by the return of Glenn Moore to add some experience.

 

As early as the first minute Dan Allen took a free kick on the left which flashed across goal with nobody being able to get the final touch. Then a few minutes later, Crays best player on the day Scott Manzi had a shot from 25 yards which Damian Rowlands magnificently tipped around the right post. Manzi then had a free kick which went wide of the right post. In the 10th minute Shannon McNamee hit a shot from 25 yards which was deflected for a corner and from that he met the ball but fired it over the bar. Kenny Pratt then put in a dangerous looking cross which was heading towards Chris Lewis but the Cray goalie Sean Jobson managed to get to it first. Cray then broke in the 16th minute and a cross from Tom Whitnall was met by Jamie Acourt who hit a shot that was misjudged by Rowlands and the ball went in just inside the left post.

 

The dangerous Des Treasure on the left then had a shot saved by Rowlands. Dan Allen took a free kick in 22nd minute which found McNamee, who rolled the ball into the path of Jason McAree but the ball was fired over the bar. In the 28th minute a Cray free kick was headed towards goal from about 10 yards out by Tom Whitnall but Rowlands made a fine reflex save. Then Margate made a fine move out of defence by McNamee who pushed the ball left to Zach Zacharia who found Lewis further down on the left who then hit a cross to Olti Kecki whose shot hit the bar and Pratt coming in on goal just failed to get his head to the ball as Jobson got there just before him.

 

In the 32nd minute a quick free kick from Saul Anderton found McAree on the right who croosed to Lewis but his shot was blocked.Then Margate got a deserved equaliser two minutes later when the hard working Lewis crossed a ball and Pratt just got his head to the ball before Jobson and found back of the net. This seemed to galvanise Margate and in the 37th minute they took the lead when another Allen free kick was cleared by the Cray defence but it went straight to Zacharia, who hit a pin point cross to Pratt, who rose to head the ball into the far right corner. Kecki then had a shot saved by Jobson but on the stroke of half time McNamee hit a shot from 20 yards out which rocketed into the net putting his side 3-1 up at the break.

 

If Margate thought this might have broken Cray they were wrong as they came at them straight from the break. Four minutes into the half they won a free kick on the left which was fired into the area by Manzi and in the mix up James Vernon managed to get his foot to the ball to push it past Rowlands to make it 3-2. There then followed a period of sustained pressure by Cray and Treasure was unlucky when he hit the post cutting into the area from the left side.

 

Margate then got a free kick on the left in the 25 minute, taken by Allen which McNamee met at the far post but Jobson managed to tip it over the bar. From the corner by Neil Hoggart, Moore flicked the ball on but the Cray defence managed to clear. Another Hoggart corner then found Lewis but his header went wide of the left post. In the 32nd minute Zacharia hit a great shot which was well saved by Jobson. Then a move started by Rowlands in the 38th minute resulted in a fourth Margate goal. He pushed the ball out to Anderton who found Hoggart on the right, who flicked it on to Lewis, who then found Zacharia on the left who hit a sweet left footed shot into the bottom right hand corner. then 3 minutes from time Zacharia showed his versatility when a ball from Lewis found him again on the left but he cut back inside and hit a shot with his right foot past the helpless Jobson to make the final score 5-2.

 

Margate: Damian Rowlands, Stanley Brozek (John Hinley 80th), Dan Allen, Saul Anderton (Elliott Payne 81st), Glenn Moore, Shannon McNamee, Jason McAree (Neil Hoggart 63rd), Olti Kecki, Kenny Pratt, Chris Lewis, Zacharias Zacharia. Subs not used Shane Brown, Shane Mayhead (G)

 

Cray: Sean Jobson, Aaron Seales, Jack Brown, Dean Montgomery, Alan Arinatwe, Scott Manzi, Nick Crowe, Jamie Acourt, Tom Whitnall, Deas Treasure, Jake Taylor. Subs: Dan Assender, James Vernon, Ed Appiah, Tom Arifalo.

 

Att: 26

[michael]

Thanks TA

great report as ever.

 

Folkestone at HDP on Tuesday night i believe

[BlueGate Alan]

Thanks Michael, hopefully very soon they will have a dedicated web page too on main site.

[mfcr]

another great report TA. the ressies must appreciate it thanks

[BlueGate Alan]

Well hopefully the reports will be in the main programme and on a dedicated page to them on the Margate website soon. Also handed out some profiles for them to fill out which can be added too, as long as I get them back