'Gate Beaten By Brightlingsea

Margate suffered their first defeat of the 2022/23 league campaign as they were beaten 2-1 away at Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday afternoon.

Manager Andy Drury placed new signing Fjord Rogers on the bench as he stuck faith in the players that had recorded a fine 2-0 win at Bowers & Pitsea just three days earlier.

The Blues were forced into soaking up some early pressure as the hosts were looking to register their first point of the season after suffering back to back defeats.

After soaking up the early pressure, the Blues found their rhythm and started to create chances with Harrison Hatfull and Ben Greenhalgh creating, whilst Sam Blackman forced the home sides keeper into a fine save in the 20th minute.

Despite continuing to have the majority of possession and half chances, it was the hosts that hit Margate on the break as Connor Barnby latched onto a long straight ball and delicately chipped it over Amadou Tangara to give the hosts a 1-0 half-time lead.

Both sides started the second half in a scrappy fashion, with the Blues desperate to get an early leveller to force the pressure onto the hosts, however the Blues were dealt a sucker punch on 59 minutes as Barnby added his and Brightlingsea Regents second to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

That goal took the wind out of Margate’s sails and despite earning some corners, they were unable to create any real chances of note.

The Blues did manage to sneak a way back into the game on 77 minutes as a Ben Greenhalgh corner looked initially to have gone straight in, however Harry Hudson appeared to have the final touch as Margate set up a frantic 13-minute finale.

Margate threw plenty at their hosts, including new signing Rogers who almost had the perfect debut as his late effort was fantastically saved as the Blues ran out of steam and had to head home with a disappointing 2-1 defeat.

MARGATE: Tangara, Hatfull, Topley, Knight, Hudson, Cole (Deslandes 48’), Blackman, McCann, Greenhalgh, Ojemen (Fisher 68’), Smith (Rogers 57’)

Subs not used: Howard, Bessey-Saldanha

Margate Goalscorer

Harry Hudson 77’

Margate Man of the Match

Ben Greenhalgh

Attendance

202

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