Margate produced a professional performance as they won their latest pre-season friendly on Saturday afternoon away at Corinthian.
Margate announced the signing of striker Johan Caney-Bryan shortly before the game and he started up top as the ‘Gate looked to right the wrongs from their midweek defeat to Faversham Strike Force.
In searing heat once again, both sides took time to get into the game, and Margate were dealt an early blow as Jake McIntyre was forced off with a calf injury.
In the 18th minute Margate should have taken the lead as a long ball forward to Caney-Bryan saw him run through and see his effort strike the post, with the rebound from Ronald Sithole superbly saved by the Corinthian keeper to keep it 0-0.
The ‘Gate were starting to dominate proceedings and were again superbly denied by the home teams keeper as Will Thomas headed goalwards from an in-swinging free-kick which was expertly tipped wide.
Margate didn’t take much longer to find the net as a long ball forward was flicked on by Caney-Bryan for Trialist #22 to run onto and calmly slot the Blues into a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.
Margate continued to build and looked good moving the ball around and they were rewarded in the 42nd minute as the referee allowed play to continue after a foul out wide, however Kai Garande picked up the ball and crossed to the back post to find Bradley Schafer who rose perfectly to head Margate into a 2-0 lead at the break.
In all honesty, the second half was disrupted by several subs from both sides which saw Margate also introduce another new signing in Dartford striker Albie O’Mara-Knapp who saw a fine effort tipped over to deny Margate a third goal in the 75th minute.
Jack Peters who was introduced in the 65th minute almost crept in at the back post in the dying minutes, however his effort was smashed narrowly over the bar as the ‘Gate had to settle for a 2-0 win.
We face our final ore-season game next Saturday 1st August as we travel to the WW Martin Community Stadium for the return of the Isle of Thanet Cup with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.
