Margate produced another five star performance at Hartsdown Park on Saturday afternoon as they beat rock bottom East Grinstead 5-1, to make it four wins in a row, and extend their unbeaten run to nine games.
Manager Ben Greenhalgh brought TT Walters back into the starting XI in place of Harry Lawrence as the ‘Gate looked to continue their impressive recent form.
Both sides spent the opening minutes feeling each other out, with East Grinstead naming six new players on Friday meaning it was a new look side that took to the field from the one that sat rooted to the bottom of the division.
Despite the cagey start, the ‘Gate took the lead in the 22nd minute as Greenhalgh and Kai Garande combined down the left, before the gaffer fired the ‘Gate ahead through a crowd of players.
The lead was to last just five minutes though as East Grinstead broke down the right hand side, with huge Margate appeals for offside ignored, before the pull back across the box found Cameron Lawson who stroked the ball home past Tom Wray to level the scores.
A cagey ten minutes saw East Grinstead grow into the game, however Margate still looked threatening going forward, however they wasted some opportunities as they grew frustrated as the clock ticked towards half-time.
Despite their frustrations they retook the lead right on the stroke of half time as Walters won a free-kick for being hauled down. Margate loaded the box and a superb delivery from Greenhalgh initially found Ibrahim Olutade whose first effort was superbly saved before falling back to him to poke the ‘Gate ahead just seconds before the break.
It took Margate just ten minutes of the second half to gain control of the game further as a ball in from the right was headed into the six yard box where Olutade was again lurking as he controlled the ball and fired home to give the hosts a more comfortable look to the score-line.
The visitors looked to have the wind knocked out of them and the ‘Gate were turning on the style as they extended their lead further. It was Olutade again who netted back to back hat-tricks as Max Walsh found Kane Haysman who played it through to Olutade who broke the offside trap and dummied the keeper before calmly rolling the ball past him to make it 4-1.
Four minutes later and it was game, set and match for the ‘Gate as some nice work down the left saw the ball played into Max Walsh who beautifully skipped a challenge before firing home from a tight angle to make it 5-1 and send the ‘Gate faithful home with Blues now currently controlling the final play-off spot in the league standings.
Margate return to action next Saturday as they cross the Channel to Jersey as they face league newcomers Jersey Bulls with kick-off at 2pm.
Margate XI: Wray, Hatfull (Lawrence 81’), Oke, Walsh, Hudson, Walters, Olutade (Agbebi 74’), Greenhalgh (Kpaka 81’), Haysman (Nkwocha 74’), Young (Peters 67’), Garande
Margate Goalscorers
Ben Greenhalgh 22’
Ibrahim Olutade 45’, 55’, 71’
Max Walsh 75’
Margate Man of the Match
Ibrahim Olutade
Attendance
352
