Margate suffered a narrow home defeat to Faversham Town at Hartsdown Park on Tuesday evening in the Isthmian South-East.
Manager Jamie Coyle welcomed back captain Finn O’Mara and David Adewoju after they served a one game suspension.
Margate started quickly as Connor Wilkins stung the hands of Tom Hadler after six minutes.
The Blues were dealt a hammer blow in the 8th minute as Stanley Oldfield went down clutching his hamstring and he was forced off early, to be replaced by Johan Caney-Bryan.
The ‘Gate felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the 18th minute as former ‘Gate defender Kai Garande appeared to handle in the box, however appeals were waived away.
The ‘Gate were on the front foot and it was Ronald Sithole next to get forward as he saw a cross slightly behind the ‘Gate players rushing into the box.
Margate thought they should have been awarded a penalty again in the 23rd minute as a Wilkins shot deflected onto a Faversham arm, however the referee again waived away appeals yet again.
A wayward Faversham shot was all the visitors had to offer in the first half, whilst Joe Tyrie went close with a header at the back post as both sides went in level at half-time.
The visitors started the second half much better as they saw a flurry of opportunities dealt with by the Blues, however they couldn’t deal with a corner in the 63rd minute as Henry Sinai headed home from six yards to make it 1-0.
Wilkins had a shot from the right hand side of the box, whilst Bradley Schafer had an opportunity as Margate went in search of a quick leveller. Despite the missed opportunities, Faversham almost doubled their lead as Josh Strouts stung the hands of Harry Seaden who spilled the effort back to Strouts, only for Seaden to stand firm and deny a second goal.
With five minutes remaining, Margate were awarded a free-kick 25-yards out which was struck superbly by Richie Hamill, only for Tom Hadler to make a brilliant save.
That was the real last hance as Margate continued to huff and puff, however there was no leveller as the Blues fell to a narrow defeat.
Margate XI: Seaden, Boulton, Hamill, Adewoju (Thomas 90’), Schafer, Oldfield (Caney-Bryan 11’) (Mbogba 90’), Duncan (Nalbant 56’), O’Mara, Tyrie, Wilkins (Dalton 90’), Sithole
Attendance
381
