Worthing Inflict First Home Defeat

By Tom Morris

Margate suffered their first defeat at home as a tightly contested match was settled by a sublime Ricky Aguiar free kick. 

Worthing started the match brightly and had several corners, dominating the ball and putting pressure on the Gate defence but Swifty marshalled his troops well and Miles made a few comfortable saves. In the 8th minute Kudus Oyenuga went down after turning sharply and after some treatment from the physio was unable to continue; Harrison Hatfull replaced the injured striker in the 13th minute.

Margate created two quick chances against the run of play in the 33rd and 35 minutes, firstly Noel Leighton almost got his head to in swinging cross from fullback Jay Porter before skipper Ben Swift tenaciously won the ball in midfield and passed to Hatfull who saw his long range effort sail narrowly over the bar. The half finished as it started with Worthing passing the ball around nicely without troubling the Gate defence.

Margate started the second half brightly, Noel Leighton, Kadell Daniel and Adem Ramadan all linked up nicely and created a number of half chances but failed to break the deadlock, then in the 57th minute Margate thought they had a penalty as Leighton was clattered by Roco Rees in the Worthing goal, the referee pointed to the spot but to the bemusement of the HDP crowd he seemingly changed his mind and awarded Worthing a free kick!

A low drive from Hatfull after good work from Leighton, a scramble in the box and another half decent penalty shout (this time for handball) came and went and the score remained 0-0. Then in the 75th minutes Anua fouled Alexander Parsons some 22yards from goal and Ricky Aguiar stepped up and curled a peach of a free kick into the top corner beyond the dive of Gate keeper Miles. 1-0 Worthing.

Worthing kept the ball well, and in the 85th minute scored a second goal through skipper Danny Barker who picked up a lose box inside the box and slotted the ball into the corner, 2-0. A final throw of dice saw James Jeffrey replaces Harrison Hatful with 7 minutes left and he stung the gloves of Rees in the final minute, but the Gate couldn’t find a consolation goal and the game finished 2-0 to Worthing.

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

Subs: Holloway, Hatfull (Oyenuga 13’), Jeffrey (Hatfull 83’), Ababio, Richards.