'Gate Held At Carshalton

Margate ended their run of four straight defeats on Saturday as they held Carshalton to a 0-0 draw at Colston Avenue.

The Blues made several changes ahead of their Velocity Trophy final on Wednesday evening, as manager Jay Saunders gave Dan Colmer his first start since returning to the club, whilst deciding to rest Ben Swift, Ben Greenhalgh and Sam Blackman, who all started on the bench.

In what was a pretty scrappy game overall, it was the hosts who had the first real chance of the afternoon as they saw a free-kick on the edge of the area well blocked by the Blues wall.

The ‘Gate had to wait until the 35th minute of the half for their first meaningful chance as Benas Vaivada closed in on goal, only to see his dinked effort go over the keeper, but also over the bar.

Colmer produced two good saves before the break as the two sides headed in for half-time, with the hosts probably looking more threatening, however, the Blues back-line again showed determination to keep a clean-sheet.

Margate introduced Sam Blackman at half-time and James Bessey-Saldanha shortly after in a bid to find some attacking threat which they had lacked, however it was the ‘Robins’ who again created the chances with Dan Roberts racing through one on one, only for Colmer to superbly deny him.

It was the first of three quick saves in succession from Colmer to deny the hosts as he again reacted quickly to deny Tommy Bradford, just moments before again denying Danny Bassett.

The Blues introduced Greenhalgh to try and force some attacking play, and it seemed to work almost instantly as he played a fine ball for Louis Collins who cut inside, only for the home ‘keeper to deny him.

Greenhalgh looked to be the missing element in attack for the Blues as he saw a free-kick tipped wide, before the prolific goalscorer almost snatched for the ‘Gate as he swung in a corner which rattled the post as Margate looked to steal the three points in the dying moments.

There was however to be no late winner and both sides settled for a 0-0 draw as they did in the league encounter at Hartsdown Park in August.

MARGATE: Colmer, Hatfull, Anderson, Odaudu, Knight, Lema, Vaivada, Lamb (Blackman 46’), Collins, Bola (Greenhalgh 71’), Rutherford (Bessey-Saldanha 57’)

Subs not used: Soyemi-Ololade, Swift

Margate Man of the Match

Dan Colmer

Attendance

427

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