Margate’s recent woeful home form continued on Saturday as they were beaten 3-1 at Hartsdown Park by Crowborough Athletic, who played the majority of the second 45 minutes with just ten men.
Brandon Davey was named in the starting XI for the first time since September after returning from a hip injury suffered away at Sheppey six months ago.
Margate started the afternoon on the front foot as early pressure saw TT Walters and Ben Greenhalgh causing troubles for the visitors. The first meaningful opportunity of the afternoon fell to Greenhalgh whose back post header was superbly saved to deny Margate an early lead.
Crowborough slowly grew into the game as Elliott Duncan and Harry Forster went close with chances as the ‘Gate seemed to struggle with the visitors pace when breaking from Margate’s advances.
A free-kick in the 39th minute saw the visitors take the lead as Jack Lyons low drive went past Kaiser and gave the visitors a probably deserved lead at the break.
For all the lack of meaningful action in the first half, the second half exploded into life as the visitors were reduced to ten men within the opening minute as Kane Haysman was wiped out when clean through, leaving the referee to show Charlie Paye a straight red.
From the free-kick, Greenhalgh struck his ever reliable wonders from 25 yards to draw the game level, all within the opening minute of the second half.
Margate would have imagined that they would kick on from there, however the visitors had other ideas as they retook the lead instantly. Straight from kick-off, the visitors raced down the far end as Forster hit back immediately to make it 2-1, all before the 48th minute.
Still with so long to go, and against ten men, Margate still would have fancied themselves to kick on. Firstly Haysman saw a header superbly saved, before Joe Taylor had the ball in the net, however the referee adjudged he had fouled the keeper before netting, meaning the score remained in the visitors favour.
Greenhalgh and Taylor went close again either side of a Crowborough break away which saw Kaiser well save two efforts in a frantic second half.
The Blues onslaught didn’t slow down as Harrison Hatfull found Greenhalgh in the box who fired wide. Sam Blackman was next to be denied as a Kai Garande cross found the midfielder at the back post whose header beat the keeper, but not the defender on the line as it was hacked away.
With time running down, Greenhalgh again was almost the hero as his deep cross struck the underside of the bar before moments later a Greenhalgh cross was headed by Lewis Knight, however his header was collected and Margate’s hopes were evaporating.
Blackman saw another back post effort fired over, before the salt was rubbed into the wounds as Crowborough broke away allowing Duncan to add a third and secure all three points for the visitors.
Margate XI: Kaiser, Oke (Hatfull 56’), Knight, Hudson, Walters (Nkwocha 87’), Blackman, Taylor, Greenhalgh, Davey (Young 85’), Haysman (Olutade 65’), Garande
Subs not used: Vint
Margate Goalscorer
Ben Greenhalgh 46’
Attendance
453
