Margate continued their unbeaten league campaign on Bank Holiday Monday with a convincing 3-0 away win at Whitstable Town in the Isthmian South-East.
Manager Jamie Coyle welcomed Connor Wilkins and Javan Splatt to the starting XI after Friday night’s 3-0 defeat away at Ascot United in the FA Trophy.
It was the near perfect start for the Blues as in front of a huge crowd at The YMS Stadium they took an early lead as Ronald Sithole played the ball into Splatt who returned it to the overlapping Sithole who drove Margate into a third minute lead.
The start was to go from near perfect to dreamy for the travelling Blues as they doubled their lead in the 5th minute to stun the home crowd as Connor Wilkins decisively drove home from the edge of the box to make it 2-0.
Margate had started like a steam train as Splatt received the ball out wide before firing a low cross into the box which missed a host of on-rushing Margate players and being knocked behind for a ‘Gate corner.
After the frantic start, the game slowed down with neither side creating much in the way of chances. The next meaningful chance arrived in the 31st minute as a low Whitstable effort was saved by Harry Seaden before Finn O’Mara swiped the ball off the line as Margate dealt with some Whitstable pressure.
It was the only chance the hosts created though as Margate went in with a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.
Whitstable started the second half with some intent, however failed to trouble Seaden in the ‘Gate goal.
Margate put the game to bed in the 55th minute as a Splatt side footed a beautiful effort home at the back post to make it 3-0 and send the travelling Blues fans into delirium.
Whitstable saw an effort crash into the side netting as the looked to drag themselves back into the game, however it was the ‘Gate who almost added a fourth as Splatt raced clear and saw his low effort come back off the foot of the post and rebound into the keepers arms as Margate continued on the front foot.
The hosts failed to really trouble Seaden for the remainder of the game as Margate negotiated the final 15 minutes almost to perfection as they recorded a third straight league win a row.
Margate XI: Seaden, Njie (Garande 55’), Thomas, Adewoju, O’Mara-Knapp (Ossai 86’), Splatt (Williams 73’), Schafer, O’Mara, Dalton, Wilkins (McIntyre 90’), Sithole
Subs not used: Belboda
Margate Goalscorers
Ronald Sithole 3’
Cpnnor Wilkins 5’
Javaun Splatt 55’
Margate Man of the Match
Ronald Sithole
Attendance
1,873
