Margate on the brink of heartbreak

MARGATE boss Terry Yorath says his side must win all of their last three games to stand any chance of escaping relegation, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Blues suffered their second successive 3-2 away defeat yesterday, to fellow strugglers Heybridge Swifts - a result that leaves the club third from bottom in the Ryman Premier League table (one place above the Swifts) - and in grave danger of joining Thanet rivals Ramsgate in Ryman One South next season.

Margate welcome Ramsgate to Hartsdown Park tomorrow, five points adrift of safety, and Yorath’s men could suffer relegation if results don’t go their way, making it a very miserable season for Thanet football.

“We shouldn’t be beaten by a side like that,” bemoaned Yorath, when speaking about Heybridge Swifts, in an audio interview on www.margate-fc.com.

“Their most lethal weapon was their keeper kicking the ball out, which our three central defenders couldn’t get to grips with.

“I forgot the actual amount of times that the ball bounced in our own half before anyone else attacked it.

“We’ve got three players there that are good heading the ball, but none took it among themselves to head it.

“We’ve conceded sloppy goals. If you look at their goals, they were soft goals. We weren’t marking properly, we didn’t pick up at the back, and we paid the price.”

The Welsh legend added, “When you’re at the end of the table we’re at, you get away with things like that.

“The teams that have beaten us have been at the bottom of the league most of the season and now they’re obviously got a bit of encouragement with the results they’ve been getting.”

Yorath knows his side must beat Ramsgate, Sutton United and Staines Town.

He added, “I’ve just told the players in there, we’ve got to win every game we’re playing in until now and the end of the season and that will only give us a chance of staying up.”

Due to segregation, the kick-off has been brought forward to 1pm and gates open at half past eleven.

Quotes courtesy of www.margate-fc.com

You can listen to EXCLUSIVE LIVE commentary of this game by clicking onto Gate Radio www.stream.margate-fc.com/

Margate v Ramsgate
Ryman Premier League
Easter Monday, 13^th April 2009
Kick Off 1:00pm
At Hartsdown Park, Hartsdown Road, Margate, CT9 5QZ