By Josh Cole
After back-to-back losses away from home, The ‘Gate are at home tomorrow looking to get back in the win column!
Last time out Margate were beaten 3-0 by 2nd placed Sittingbourne. Read the report from that game by clicking here.
View how that result affected the league table by clicking here.
When we lost against AFC Croydon last Saturday, Tom Wray received a red card, we did appeal the decision to The FA but it was rejected so he will unfortunately miss this game against Sheppey.
Get your tickets for this match by clicking here.
SHEPPEY UNITED – THEIR SEASON SO FAR:
On opening day, they beat Three Bridges 1-2 away. Then in the FA Cup preliminary round they won 0-3, also away, at North Greenford United. Two back-to-back wins in the league kept their 100% winning record and then in the FA Cup first qualifying round they were handed a big loss.
Despite drawing at home to Hanwell Town 1-1, they travelled to The Geordies ground for the reply and lost 6-0. Another loss in the cup came next against Ramsgate at home in the FA Trophy first qualifying round, but they continued to maintain their 100% record in the league with a 3-1 win over Erith Town. In the Velocity Cup second round they drew 0-0 with Herne Bay after 90 minutes but won 5-4 on penalties.
However just a week later after they beat Steyning Community Town on the Tuesday, Sheppey lost on penalties to Hythe Town in the Kent Senior Cup. After this, they beat Phoenix Sports, got battered by Ramsgate 5-0, drew 1-1 with Merstham and lost 2-3 against The ‘Gate at Holm Park.
In their next 11 games, The Ites won seven games, drawing two and losing twice. In this run included a win over us at HDP and Dartford in the Velocity Cup. Then just before 2025, Sheppey lost four games in a row, before ending that streak by beating Hythe on January 1st 2025. Their Velocity Cup run ended at the hands of Billericay as they lost 1-0.
Then in their next four they went undefeated, winning once and drawing three times but followed that up by losing their next four and this run has seen Sheppey drop out of the playoffs and back into sixth.
LAST FIVE: MARGATE
2-3 Win vs Hythe Town, away (League)
2-2 Draw vs Phoenix Sports, home (League)
3-0 Win vs Lancing, home (League)
1-0 Loss vs AFC Croydon, away (League)
3-0 Loss vs Sittingbourne, away (League)
LAST FIVE: SHEPPEY UNITED
2-1 Win vs Lancing, home (League)
2-1 Loss vs AFC Croydon, away (League)
3-1 Loss vs Littlehampton, away (League)
0-1 Loss vs Ramsgate, home (League)
2-1 Loss vs East Grinstead, away (League)
STATS COMPARISON IN ALL COMPETITIONS:
MARGATE
Matches played: 42
Goals scored: 80
Goals conceded: 43
GD: +37
Clean sheets: 16
SHEPPEY
Matches played: 40
Goals scored: 67
Goals conceded: 63
GD: +4
Clean sheets: 10
IN THE REVERSE FIXTURE…
On Saturday the 19th of October, The ‘Gate travelled to Holm Park to take on Sheppey United. It was a very windy day but that only pushed Margate on as in the 40th minute we took the lead through Ibrahim Olutade. He then doubled his and Margate’s goal tally in the 55th minute making it 0-2. Sinnkaye Christie pulled one back for Sheppey in the 62nd minute but Olutade would grab his hat-trick on the 78th minute. Sheppey did get a consolation goal to make the game closer than it seemed in the 91st minute, but Margate would win that five-goal thriller.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: (all data comes from the Margate history website)
We have met 97 times with Sheppey United, our first ever meeting against The Ites came in 1912 in the Kent Senior Cup which Sheppey won, 1-5. Since that game though, Margate have largely dominated the head-to-head battle between the two teams.
Margate wins: 56
Draws: 20
Sheppey wins: 21
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Daniel Blades
Assistants: Michael Corderoy & Byron Beard
UP THE ‘GATE
