Margate fought back from a half-time deficit to beat Sheppey United 2-1 at Hartsdown Park on a drizzly evening in Kent.
Manager Jamie Coyle made changes from Saturday’s defeat with the introduction of Connor Wilkins, Ryan Huke, Ronald Sitole into the starting XI.
Margate started quickly as Sithole got straight into the action forcing Harley Earle into an early save. The visitors responded immediately as an effort looped onto the Blues bar as the game started in quick fashion.
In the 10th minute the visitors took the lead as Danny Leonard’s deflected shot beat Seaden to make it 1-0 to Sheppey.
Margate looked stunned and struggled to keep the ball as the game struggled to find a rhythm. Margate showed glimpses of what they can do when they got the ball out wide to Sithole who pulled it back across the box, however Elliott Duncan was unable to sort his feet and convert the chance.
The Blues thought they had levelled in the 45th minute as Javaun Splatt turned home an effort, however the linesman flag disrupted celebrations.
Margate made two changes at half-time with the introduction of David Adewoju and Stanley Oldfield, and the latter had an instant impact on the game as he superbly levelled with a fine effort just 60 seconds into the second half.
From that moment onwards it seemed like that there would only be one winner. Oldfield saw a header flash just wide before Duncan ran through one on one, however saw his effort saved by Earle.
It was all one way traffic and Margate deservedly took the lead with 13 minutes remaining as O’Mara saw a header glance wide, however Margate won the ball back and a cross in the box was superbly fired home by Bradley Schafer to give the ‘Gate the advantage.
Even in the dying moments of the game, Margate were denied incredibly twice. Both efforts from Oldfield were goal bound, however two incredible saves from Earle prevented the score-line looking more glamourous for the ‘Gate.
Margate XI: Seaden, Hamill, Thomas, Splatt (Adewoju 45’, Caney-Bryan 84’), Schafer, Duncan, O’Mara, Tyrie, Wilkins (Mbogba 90’), Huke (Oldfield 46’), Sithole
Subs not used: Iandolo
Margate Goalscorer’s
Stanley Oldfield 46’
Bradley Schafer 77’
Attendance
254
