Pax Pleased With Saturday Shift

A win at home, three important league points and a clean sheet to boot. It was an enjoyable afternoon at Hartsdown Park for right-back Jack Paxman.

The young defender produced a characteristically composed performance as Margate sealed a 1-0 win against play-off contenders Bognor Regis Town.

Speaking after the match, Paxman was delighted with how the 90 minutes unfolded in front of the home crowd.

 “I’m very pleased. Bognor are a very good side and this is the first of two tough games against good sides in this division with Merstham next Saturday.”

“We need to win them both, so it is nice to get off to a good start and push on to next week. It is great to get the clean sheet too.”

Paxman seamlessly slotted back into the Margate back four and admitted he was happy to take his chance in the starting eleven.

“Initially, when Connor went in there, I had a chat with Jay and he gave me his reasons and I was fine with that.”

“I said to him I was going to compete for my place and had my chance today. It was a good opportunity to show him how much I want to play and I think done well.”

As an emerging talent in the Margate squad, Paxman has played a lot of minutes in his first season at the club and has thrived alongside experienced non-league players.

“I have learnt a lot this season from players like Friendy alongside me and playing with more experienced players has helped me a lot. I think I’ve matured a lot more quickly in the game.”

Margate made it a double header of clean sheets against Bognor who are one of the League’s free-scoring sides. Paxman hopes The Gate’s defensive discipline can be sustained as the team enters the final phase of the campaign.

“Throughout the season we have been quite strong defensively and we are quite high up there in the League terms of teams who have not conceded. Today was no different to any other game in the sense we communicated and backed each other to keep the clean sheet.”

Involved in the build-up play for Saturday’s goal, Paxman recalled with relish the moment he saw the sweeping attacking move cumulate into a stunning winner.

“I was very relieved to see the winner go in, I was up there right in front of it and it was the best feeling because the whole game we kept pushing them, pressuring them and it finally went in for us.”

Paxman added, “Three points anywhere is great but at home is always better. To get a clean sheet on top of that is all I could want.”

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