Margate endured a miserable start to 2026 as they were beaten at home by an in-form Ashford United side, who inflicted a third straight home defeat on Ben Greenhalgh’s side.
Greenhalgh was forced into one change from the win away at Herne Bay last weekend as Tom Wray was unwell, meaning Reece Hobbs returned to goal after keeping a clean sheet for Rusthall last week.
It was a very average opening 20 minutes at Hartsdown Park in Baltic conditions as a Joe Taylor glancing header was the only chance in the opening stages as both sides aimed to work each other out.
A point bank save from Hobbs from Gary Lockyer kept the game level, but not for long as Ashford took the lead in the 25th minute as they moved down the right hand side before finding former Blues striker Louis Collins who had plenty of time in the box to curl a shot past Hobbs to give Ashford the lead.
Lewis Knight then hobbled off with a knock to his ankle as the Blues struggled to get the ball forward to Joe Taylor and Ibrahim Olutade. They thought they had equalised in the 37th minute as a Taylor effort was saved before Greenhalgh struck home, only for the linesman’s flag to be raised.
Margate got some luck to level the game in the 43rd minute as a Harry Brooks clearance was collected by Sam Blackman who released Olutade. The striker then attempted to chop past the defender tracking back, however his attempted interception took the ball past Brooks to level the game two minutes before the break.
Margate seemed to have the bit between their teeth in the opening stages of the second half as Olutade raced onto a Taylor flick on, only to see his glorious chance fired narrowly wide.
That miss was to be the catalyst for another frustrating second half performance as the Nuts & Bolts regained the lead seven minutes into the second half. A long diagonal ball into the box led to a mix up between Emmanuel Oke and Hobbs, allowing Collins to nip in and add his and Ashford’s second.
Another Olutade chance when through one on one with Brooks saw the striker drag this effort wide as the ‘Gate spurned another chance to drag themselves level. More huff and puff followed from the ‘Gate without creating much more before the visitors effectively sealed the game in the 79th minute as Collins rounded off his return to Hartsdown Park with taking home the matchball.
Margate tried to get themselves back into it with some pressure which saw Max Walsh fire an opportunity narrowly over the bar, before Taylor reduced the scoreline with a tap in to set up a frantic final four minutes.
However there was to be no grandstand finish as Ollie Bate scored a fourth for the visitors deep into added time to condemn the ‘Gate to a fourth defeat in five games which leaves the nine points outside the play-off places with 17 games this season.
Margate XI: Hobbs, Hatfull, Oke, Knight (Young 31’), Hudson, Blackman (Walters 69’), Olutade (Derry 80’), Taylor, Greenhalgh, Haysman (Walsh 75’), Garande
Subs Not Used: Nkwocha
Margate Goalscorer’s
Ibrahim Olutade 43’
Joe Taylor 90’
Attendance
528
