Tonbridge Angels 1-2 Margate

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 1-2 MARGATE
Saturday 25^th November 2006
Ryman Premier League
Stephen McCartney reports from Betterview Longmead Stadium

Margate won their fifth successive game today and in doing so climbed to the summit of the Ryman Premier League table.

All of the goals were scored during the first half with Margate pair Jay Saunders and Paul Abbott taking their goalscoring tallies to two for the season, whilst Tonbridge Angels’ lightening quick marksman Jon Main netted his 18^th goal of the season to equalise.

Margate were without their top goalscorer Danny Hockton, whose nursing a groin strain, but his replacement, right-sided midfielder Abbott scored a 35^th minute freak goal to hand the Thanet side a deserved winner.

Match referee, Eastbourne resident Mr Harry Leonard, passed the pitch playable following a pitch inspection one and a half hours before this Kent derby.

And it was Tonbridge Angels, 3-2 winners at AFC Wimbledon seven days ago, that created the game’s first chance inside five minutes.

Michael Power played in his strike partner Main, whose shot from a tight angle rolled to Margate goalkeeper Charlie Mitten who made a comfortable save.

Margate played some lovely passing football on the soggy playing surface and went close when Abbott’s shot deflected over.

Abbott then turned provider when his cross from the right was nodded past the post by Saunders.

But Margate’s pressure told when they broke the deadlock after sixteen minutes.

Lee Protheroe’s cross was met by a cushioned header by his former team-mate at Gravesend & Northfleet, Jimmy Jackson.

Jackson’s header across the face of goal was met by a bicycle kick from Saunders, which found the bottom right hand corner from ten-yards, leaving goalkeeper Aaron Kerr rooted to the spot.

Two long-range shots from Proterhoe and Jackson were off target before Tonbridge netted their equaliser after 27 minutes - against the run of play.

Tonbridge resident Luke Piscina played the ball down the middle for Main to latch onto and the striker lobbed the ball over Mitten from 15-yards.

Margate defender Pat Sappleton desperately attempted to head the ball off the line, but found the back of the net via the right post instead.

But Margate sealed the victory nine minutes later with a freak goal.

Abbott launched a right-footed high ball from the right hand side from fully 45-yards and Tonbridge’s Irish goalkeeper Kerr was heard calling for the ball.

But with no other player near him he looked up in horror as the ball caught the wind and dropped into the back of his net.

Whilst the goalscorer was stunned that his hanging cross had found the net, Kerr was left red faced and wanted the ground to swallow him up as he stood in his goal.

Piscina’s long-range shot flashed past the foot of Mitten’s near post and at the other end, another long-range shot from Protheroe, sailed over.

Steve McKimm, the Margate skipper, unleashed a right-footed drive that flew past the diving goalkeeper but also past the foot of the post.

But the Thanet side had Mitten to thank for making a double save after 53 minutes.

Power’s low left-footed shot from 20-yards was parried by a diving Mitten and Main scuffed his shot towards goal but Mitten, whose keeping first choice stopper Scott Chalmers-Stevens on the bench, turned the ball around the near post.

Tonbridge created another good chance four minutes later when Piscina showed good footwork to get Scottish winger Fraser Logan behind the visitors defence.

Logan's cross from the left channel was met by a towering header by an unmarked Main, but it looped over from six-yards.

Protheroe was twice denied by Kerr before the hosts squandered three good chances.

Ryan Maxwell lifted the ball to Scott Kinch, whose lob dropped just over the crossbar and then Maxwell’s left-footed 30-yarder flashed just wide.

Then Piscina’s angled left-footed volley from 15-yards was comfortably saved by Mitten after Margate headed Logan’s cross to the Tonbridge favourite.

In the last three minutes an unmarked Jackson agonisingly headed Abbott’s cross over the bar from close range as Margate showed their professionalism playing out the game with their lead intact.

But after beating Bromley and Tonbridge Angels in the past week, Margate are showing their championship credentials.