By David Hansen
Sunday afternoon saw Margate Women continue their build-up to the new season with a tough test against Herne Bay at The Crest Stadium, the visitors running out 6-1 winners in an entertaining encounter.
Herne Bay made a fast start, opening the scoring in the 6th minute. Lauren Montgomery produced an excellent save to deny the initial effort, but a Bay attacker was quickest to react, tucking away the rebound.
Margate responded positively and carved out two good chances in quick succession. Emily Hall rounded the goalkeeper but was forced wide, sending her effort narrowly off target. Moments later, Michaela Beach beat her marker but fired over from twelve yards.
Those missed opportunities proved costly as Herne Bay doubled their lead, once again capitalising on a rebound after another fine stop from Montgomery. The visitors then made it 3-0 with a well-struck effort from the edge of the box following a defensive clearance.
Margate’s best moment came courtesy of a well-worked move from a set piece. Nicole Adams’ long free kick from halfway was flicked on by Beach into the path of Anna Butova, who calmly finished to net her first goal for the club.
Just before the break, Hall came close to reducing the deficit further, sending a powerful strike narrowly wide, leaving Margate trailing 3-1 at half-time.
The second half began more evenly, with Margate matching their higher-division opponents stride for stride. Beach went close early on after breaking through one-on-one, before Adams tested the Herne Bay goalkeeper with a trademark powerful free kick.
However, as in the first half, Herne Bay were ruthless in front of goal, striking twice in quick succession — first from a swift break down the left, then from a set-piece rebound. A late Montgomery save briefly kept the scoreline down, but Bay added a sixth in the final minutes to seal the result.
Despite the scoreline, the match provided valuable minutes and strong passages of play for Margate, who will now turn their focus to next Sunday’s friendly against Larkfield & New Hythe at Hartsdown Park (3:00pm kick-off).
Line-up:
Montgomery, King, Farmery, A Beach, Watson, Greetham, M Beach, Hall, Miller, Parnham, Butova.
Substitutes:
Mann, Adams, Ring, Hadley.
