Late Trophy Heartbreak For The Gate

By Tommy Park

The Blues played away on Saturday as they travelled up to ‘Bloomfield’ to face Needham Market in the Buildbase FA Trophy.

The match kicked off and the hosts were right on the front foot, coming off a loss in their previous league match, and the players seemed to play with an extra tenacity stepping up into Margate right from kick off. The Blues were initially successful in holding off the onslaught from Needham and actually created a few chances on the counter attack.

A notable chance coming from James Bessey-Saldanha in the 24th minute when Ben Greenhalgh took a shot from a wide angle and the ball went across the goal but just before it went out for a goal kick, Bessey-Saldanha gets on the end of it sliding in but couldn't quite get it towards the goal.

The Blues defence was finally breached after a promising Margate attack where Sam Blackman played a perfect through ball onto a wide run from Crossley Lema who couldn't quite beat the keeper. The hosts then rushed onto the counter and winger Harvey Sayer cut inside from the right and ran along the edge of the box before striking it past Pat Ohman.

1-0 Needham Market

The hosts would continue to press for the rest of the half while Margate were trying to find their feet and form a positive move. The hosts' persistence would put them 2-0 up in the 44th minute when a shot from Ben Fowkes just found its way through and under Ohman.

2-0 Needham market at half time

The second half began and whether it was Margate's own frustration or some strong words from the manager, The Blues came onto the pitch with a renewed persistence and edge to their game. Margate were starting to push back on the hosts and they were controlling the play.

Margate would start getting closer and closer. The first chance came from Vance Bola's cross that found Martial Godo, Godo then cut the ball back to Greenhalgh who collected the ball in the box and as he was trying to find a hole to shoot through he was taken down. The Margate players called for a pen but the Referee thought otherwise and Greenhalgh received a yellow.

Another great chance for Margate when Bola received the ball in the box and as he was about to shoot he was cut down from behind, the hosts were let off and the keeper collected the ball.

Margate were finally rewarded for their patience when Bessey-Saldanha skipped past the Hosts defence and slid it to Bola who turned his defender and slotted the ball into the bottom corner making the score 2-1.

Margate, not satisfied, continued to press and fought to bring themselves back into the game. The Blues got back to level pegging when Greenhakgh got onto the end of a cross from Blackman and headed it past the hosts keeper.

2-2

The game was still in Margate's hands as the hosts tried to fight past The Blues dominant midfield but couldn't form a solid attack.

Disaster struck for Margate as if out of nowhere, when the hosts got an attack two minutes into added time. The Needham right back crossed the ball into the box and striker Hans Mpongo who had come off the bench, rose above The Gates defence and nodded it past Ohman

Margate missed out by a fine margin after going 2-0 down in the first half. The game ended 3-2 to Needham Market.

Margate XI: Pat Ohman, Crosley Lema, Joe Anderson, Montel Agyemang, Lewis Knight, Ben Swift ©, James Bessey-Saldanha, Sam Blackman, Vance Bola, Martial Godo, Ben Greenhalgh.

Subs: Harrison Hatfull, Dan Colmer, George Lamb, Reece Prestedge, Fynn Rutherford, Ryan Palmer(75’).

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