'Gate Beaten By Fulham Xl

Margate suffered their first defeat of pre-season as they were beaten 3-1 by a Fulham Xl side on Wednesday evening at Hartsdown Park.

The visitors named former Blues Midfielder Martial Godo in their starting eleven, as they looked to impose their quality on the hosts in the opening minutes at a crowded Hartsdown Park.

Manager Andy Drury once again used trialists in the first 60 minutes of the game as he once again set out two sides over the 90 minutes.

The visitors started the game quickly and forced Ben Bridle-Card into two early saves, before they took the lead in the 7th minute as Matt Dibley-Dias saw his shot beat Bridle-Card to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

The visitors almost doubled their lead on 19 minutes as Jay Williams was released, only for Bridle-Card to make the save which kept the score-line at 1-0. That was only to last three minutes though as the Cottagers doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute as Luciano D’auria-Henry saw his effort deflect off a Margate head and curl in off the post to make it 2-0.

Margate were struggling to force any opportunities, however they almost got back into the game minutes after the visitors second goal, thanks to the visitors themselves. A back-pass from Harvey Araujo was smashed back to Allen in the Fulham goal, who couldn’t control it allowing the ball to slip away out for a corner.

Fulham were instantly back on top as they saw two corners trouble the defence, however Margate withstood the pressure and forced their way back into the game right on half-time as a free-kick from the left was swung in superbly for Kieron McCann to grab his first Margate goal on debut.

Drury made two subs at half-time as he introduced both Lewis Knight and James Bessey-Saldanha earlier than planned, however the Blues still had to wait until the hour mark when they made further changes for their first meaningful chance in the second half.

Unsurprisingly, it was Margate skipper Ben Greenhalgh who made an instant impact as his corner rebounded to him, where he took the ball under his control before smashing a ball across goal which narrowly evaded the en-rushing Margate attack.

The hosts were in the ascendency as they continued to pour forward and cause further problems for the Fulham defence as Trialist #2 delivered an inch perfect cross to Emmanuel Oluwesemo who saw his header narrowly go over the bar.

The Blues were within inches of levelling the game in the 76th minute as a corner was flung into a crowded box, where a Margate player leapt highest and cannoned his header back off the bar, before Fulham managed to clear their lines.

Margate were in full control at this point and created another chance moments later as new signing Harvey Smith linked well with Greenhalgh who again saw his dangerous low cross scrambled away at the last second as the Blues continued to push for an equalising goal.

The ‘Gate were dealt a sucker punch in the final minutes as Callum McFarlane took the ball down in the box before firing into the roof of the net to give the visitors a 3-1 win.

Margate return to action on Saturday as we welcome National League South side Tonbridge Angels to Hartsdown Park, with kick-off at 3pm.

Margate Xl: Bridle Card, Trialist, Trialist, Hudson, Fisher, Trialist, Cole, Howard, McCann, Oliver, Nketiah

Margate Xl post 60 minutes: Bridle-Card, Trialist, Knight, Ojemen, Trialist, Trialist, Blackman, Bessey-Saldanha, Greenhsalgh, Oluwesemo, Smith

Margate Goal scorer

Kieron McCann 45’

Margate Man of the Match

Harry Hudson

Attendance

592

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