A Point A Piece In Six Goal Thriller

By Tom Morris

6 goals, 2 hat-tricks and another point gained on the road as The Gate drew 3-3 with the K’s at King Georges Fields. 

Jack Richards suffered a minor injury and was replaced by Adem Ramadan shortly before kick off but this change in the line-up didn’t stop the Gate starting strongly against a much fancied Kingstonian side and by the 5th minute Ramadan had sent too deep crosses into the K’s box narrowly missing the heads of Leighton and Daniel respectably. In the 18th minute Dan Johnson played an exquisite through ball down the right flank releasing Giani Ashley who’s cross was deflected for a corner; this was played short to Chris Sessegnon and his cross was powerfully met at the back post by Kudus Oyenuga to put the Gate 1-0 up.

It will turn out to be an eventful afternoon for Kudus and he almost grabbed a second goal in the 27th minute after a strong run and shot from 18 yards went agonising wide of the post. In the 36th minute Kadell Daniel went on a typical mazy run and created a shooting chance but the experienced Rob Tolfrey made a comfortable save. Then in the 43rd minute, somewhat against the run of play, Dan Johnson and Jonathan Miles collided when making a routine clearance and K’s striker Louie Theophanous tapped the ball into an empty net, 1-1.

The final 4 minutes of the half proved to be the most eventful. Firstly, in the 45th minute Kudus Oyenuga latched onto a Jordy Robins through ball and powered away from his marker, his shot ricocheted off another defender and went in over the head of the stranded Tolfrey, 2-1 Margate. Then, less than 2 minutes later Theophanous nicked a bouncing ball from DJ’s toes and fired the ball home from long range past the diving Miles, 2-2 and with that the referee Simon Finnigan brought a frantic first half to a close.

Kingstonian started the second half brightly and would have created a goal scoring chance in the 47th minute had it not been for a succession of strong tackles from skipper Ben Swift. They did however take the lead in the 56th minute as Louie Theophanous curled a direct free kick over the Gate wall and into the top corner, 3-2 Kingstonian.

In the 59th minute Kudus few Jay Porter deep inside the K’s box and but he saw his fierce shot (and the rebound effort) battered away by goalkeeper Tolfrey. Manager Jay Saunders made two changes in quick succession bring on James Jeffrey and Harrison Pont for Giani Ashley and Noel Leighton as the Gate looked for an equaliser which duly came in the 71st minute as Kudus Oyenuga was brought down in the penalty area; he dusted himself down and coolly dispatched the penalty, 3-3 and a second hat trick of the afternoon.

The next 15 or so minutes failed to live up to the previous 70 as both teams surrendered possession and gave away needless fouls, in fact Kudus talked his way into the referee’s book after an altercation in the 83rd minute. The match official added 4 minutes on for injury time and Theophanous almost added a 4th for the K’s in the 93rd minutes but was denied by Miles and the game ended 3-3. A third successive draw for both teams. 

Margate: Miles, Ashley, Porter, Sessegnon, Johnson, Swift ©, Ramadan, Robins, Oyenuga, Leighton, Daniel

Subs: Holloway, Pont, Jeffrey, Ababio, Hatfull.