Margate P-P Wealdstone - I thought it was the right decision to call it off, says Butler

Saturday 14th November 2009

MARGATE P-P WEALDSTONE

(Match postponed - waterlogged pitch)

Ryman Premier League

Saturday 14th November 2009

Paul Parkinson reports from Hartsdown Park

WITH a howling gale and rain driving horizontally down the middle of Hartsdown Park, Mr Venamore appeared to have no option but to call off today‘s Ryman Premier League game twenty minutes before the scheduled kick-off.

Ironically though, by the time the crowd started to filter away, naturally disappointed, the wind had dropped and the sun appeared tentatively through a clearing sky.

But what kind of game would the crowd have seen had the decision been left for another half hour?

All-in-all though, having already seen an 8x2 advertising hoarding ripped from the pitch surround by the wind, then roll down the pitch into the Tivoli Road end goal, the eventual postponement of this game was inevitable.

Even during the attempted warm-ups, both teams had already suffered in horrendous conditions, with kicks into the wind barely travelling 20 yards and aerial balls flying out of the ground at all angles.

A disappointed Margate manager, Mark Butler, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after taking part in a full-on training session on the Hartsdown 5-a-side pitches, said: “I thought it was the right decision. We‘ve had no kind of continuity since I‘ve arrived, but at least today has given us a chance to get some good work in. It is frustrating we can‘t get a run of games.”

SOAKED: Margate manager Mark Butler admitted the match referee was right in calling off today's home game against Wealdstone twenty minutes before the scheduled kick-off as heavy winds and rain battered Kent today.
Photograph courtesy of www.margate-fc.com

Credit has to be given to the Margate officials who, with the short notice they were given of the postponement, flew into action; arranging for tickets to be stamped to allow access to the game when re-arranged, and to answer the questions being thrown forward by a small minority of angry supporters.

For the record, the line-ups were going to be:

Margate: Matt Reed, Aaron Lacy, Curtis Robinson, John Keister, Luke Wheatley, Jack Haverson, Wayne Wilson, Joe Healy, Lloyd Blackman, Sam Cliff, Dan Stubbs.

Subs: James Duncan, Jake Whincup, Joe Taylor, Aaron Beech, Keiran Morris.

Wealdstone: Sean Thomas, Marvin McCoy, Lee Chappell, James Gray, Rob Fitzgerald, Ryan Ashe, Kieron Forbes, Chris O’Leary, Charlie Mpi, Chris Ellerbeck, Mark E’Beyer.

Subs: Danny Spendlove, Sam Beagle, James Osborne, Ross Lafayette, Ken During.

Referee: Mr Lee Venamore (Maidstone)

Assistants: Mr Kevin Welsh (Sittingbourne) and Mr Ian Fissenden (Maidstone)