By Josh Cole
The playoffs begin tomorrow with Margate travelling to Burgess Hill for the semi-final!
Last time out The ‘Gate ended the regular season with a 1-0 home win against Ashford! Click here to read the match report.
View how the final table looks after the regular season finished on Saturday by clicking here.
Looking for match information on this playoff semi-final? Click here to read all about the key details.
BURGESS HILL – THEIR 2024/25 SEASON
The Hillians finished in third place on 90 points from 42 games. They started with a 0-1 away win in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup but lost the first game of the league season away at Sevenoaks (3-1).
Two back-to-back wins against Eastbourne Town, one at home in the FA Cup preliminary round (2-1) and one away in the league (0-3). Three more wins in a row came next, at home to AFC Croydon in the FA Cup first qualifying round, A 0-2 win away at Southall in the FA Trophy first qualifying round and a 0-1 win away at Lancing in the league.
Their FA Cup journey came to an end in the second qualifying round at home to Amersham Town, losing 2-3. Two games against Littlehampton followed, with Burgess Hill winning at home in the league but then losing on penalties away in the FA Trophy second qualifying round.
Four home games in a row were next, with Hill winning three of them, two in the league and one in the Sussex County Cup, only losing to Sittingbourne 0-2 in the league.
A 2-2 draw away at Merstham came before their 2-1 win against us and they continued an unbeaten run spanning seven more games. They beat Steyning Community Town (3-1), drew with Ramsgate away (2-2), drew 1-1 with Broadbridge Heath in the Velocity Cup second round but managed to win 4-3 on penalties and more wins followed against Ashford, Lancing and Sheppey, with the 1-1 draw at Hartsdown Park.
After a loss to Broadbridge Heath in the league, they won two games against Merstham and Hythe before being knocked out of the Velocity Cup in the fourth round by Chatham. In the league they got three more wins, but another cup exit came, this time against Brighton in the Sussex County Cup third round.
This kickstarted an eleven-game unbeaten run spanning from the middle of January to the start of March. This run included seven wins and four draws. After the loss to Ashford that ended that unbeaten run, they went on another, but it was only five games this time, with four wins and one draw before losing to AFC Croydon. After two wins and a draw, third place was secured for Burgess Hill so in the final game of the season they rested players and lost 3-1 away at Littlehampton.
LAST FIVE: BURGESS HILL
3-0 Loss vs AFC Croydon, away (League)
4-0 Win vs Deal Town, home (League)
1-1 Draw vs Sittingbourne, away (League)
4-0 Win vs Three Bridges, home (League)
3-1 Loss vs Littlehampton, away (League)
LAST FIVE: MARGATE
3-3 Draw vs Sevenoaks Town, away (League)
3-3 Draw vs Merstham, away (League)
6-2 Win vs Beckenham, home (League)
1-4 Win vs Ramsgate, away (League)
1-0 Win vs Ashford United, home (League)
HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH BURGESS HILL THIS SEASON:
Both games between The Hillians and The ‘Gate were played in the first half of the season. At The Home Call Carpets Stadium in October, Margate’s first league loss of the season happened, with Burgess Hill winning 2-1 on that night.
Then not even a month later, the two teams played again, this time at Hartsdown Park and the game finished level at one all with Burgess Hill equalising late on.
STATS COMPARISON IN ALL COMPS:
BURGESS HILL
Matches played: 53
Goals scored: 102
Goals conceded: 52
GD: +50
Clean sheets: 22
MARGATE
Matches played: 54
Goals scored: 115
Goals conceded: 62
GD: +53
Clean sheets: 18
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Andrew Dunn
Assistants: Adrian Knight & Stephen Ryan
Fourth Official: Nicholas Whittington
UP THE ‘GATE
