'Gate Let Lead Slip Against Hastings

Margate let a 1-0 lead slip on Tuesday evening as they were beaten 2-1 by Hastings United at Hartsdown Park.

Manager Reece Prestedge named the same starting eleven that had earned four points in their previous two games prior to Tuesday.

In an otherwise dull first half, both sides looked tense and cagey with neither side creating much in the way of clear cut chances. The main talking point of the first half was the Blues losing leading goal scorer Steve Cawley to a calf injury just two minutes before the break, as he was replaced by Fyn Rutherford.

The Blues started the second half on the front foot and created the first real chance of the evening in the 49th minute as Rohdell Gordon delivered a wonderful cross to Rutherford at the back post, however his scooping header flew inches wide of the post.

Two minutes later Margate thought they had the lead as a wonderful Ben Greenhalgh free-kick found Sam Blackman at the far post who nodded home, only for the assistant referee to raise his flag and chalk off the goal.

Margate were in the ascendency and did take the lead in the 58th minute as a well worked corner between Greenhalgh and Gordon saw the former deliver an enticing delivery into the box which was headed home by Blackman to give the ‘Gate a deserved lead.

Frustratingly for the Blues, their lead only lasted three minutes as a long Hastings United throw hit Harry Hudson on the head and fell into the net to level the scores almost instantly.

Margate felt they should have been awarded a penalty a few moments later as Rutherford was bundled over in the box, however the referee waived away their protest.

With twenty minutes remaining a wayward cross by Hudson hit the post as Margate continued to push forward to regain the lead.

With twelve minutes left on the clock, Hastings took a surprise lead as a long speculative shot snuck into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead against the run of play.

Despite six minutes of additional time at the end of the game, there was to be no saviour this time around as the game drifted to full-time.

Margate return to action on Wednesday night as they travel to Whitehawk in the Third Round of the Velocity Trophy.

Margate Xl: Seaden, Hatfull, Johnson, Poku, Sterling, Hudson, Blackman, Cawley (Rutherford 45’), Greenhalgh, Gordon, Knight (Box 80’)

Subs not used: Hobbs, Salmon, Mazzone

Goalscorer(s)

Sam Blackman 58’

Attendance

370

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