Whitehawk (A) - 6th January 2024

By Josh Cole

After the disappointments of New Year’s Day, we are looking to bounce back in our second game of 2024 away to Whitehawk on Saturday afternoon.

Our last game ended in defeat at Hartsdown Park in a local derby against Folkestone Invicta. Read the full match report here.

OPPONENT’S SEASON SO FAR

The Hawks are sat in 14th place on 26 points from 20 games. They started the season off with a loss at Hartsdown Park, as we beat them 2-1. They then bounced back to go on an amazing 10 game unbeaten run which included five wins and five draws before they lost to high flying Chatham. Inconsistencies then began to show as Whitehawk went winless until New Year’s Day, with three draws and four losses in two months. Speaking about the New Year’s Day win, they picked up a massive three points away at Horsham.

At home Whitehawk have been mediocre, with three wins, four draws and two losses putting the side from Sussex in 15th in the home form table. However, the ‘Gate’s away form has been poor, with only one win and two draws along with six losses putting us in 20th in the away table.

You can view the full Isthmian Premier Division table by clicking here.

LAST FIVE: WHITEHAWK

Loss vs Hythe Town, away (3-2) FA Trophy 3rd Round

Loss vs Carshalton Athletic, away (2-1) League

Loss vs Lewes, home (1-2) League

Loss vs Billericay Town, home (0-1) League

Win vs Horsham, away (0-1) League

LAST FIVE: MARGATE

Loss vs Whitehawk, away (3-1) Velocity Trophy 3rd Round

Loss vs Carshalton Athletic, home (0-1) League

Draw vs Kingstonian, home (2-2) League

Draw vs Cray Wanderers, away (0-0) League

Loss vs Folkestone Invicta, home (0-2) League

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The ‘Gate and The Hawks have faced 11 times since February 2013 with Whitehawk coming out on top with six wins to Margate’s two and three draws. The last time we faced Whitehawk at the Enclosed Ground was recently in the Velocity Trophy. It was the home side who won 3-1.

MATCH OFFICIALS

The referee for this fixture is Patrick Nixon, and he will be assisted by Brendan Jones and Pete Andrews.

Not able to travel to Sussex on Saturday? Stay up to date by following along live with our match updates on our official X account @Margate_fc from 2:15pm onwards!

STADIUM ADDRESS

THE ENCLOSED GROUND

WILSON AVE

BRIGHTON

BN2 5TS

Whitehawk Deny Blues With Late Winner

By Riley Finch

Steve Cawley’s clinical brace wasn’t enough as an unfortunate, last minute own goal by Harry Seaden denied Margate a well deserved draw in a gutting defeat to Whitehawk at the Enclosed Ground.

In an opening fifteen minutes to forget for the Gate, Whitehawk took a quickfire two goal lead to put themselves in firm control.

A calamity of errors awarded the Hawks a penalty just eight minutes in.

A wayward pass from Rohdell Gordon set the hosts on the the counter, Harry Hudson then failed to clear the ball as it bobbled up towards him and Seaden was forced to take down a Whitehawk forward in a one on one situation.

Seaden guessed the right way but Charlie Lambert’s perfectly dispatched penalty nestled into the bottom corner to give his side the lead.

Just five minutes later, Lewis Knight failed to intercept a ball in behind which allowed Imran Kayani to slot the ball past Seaden to give the Hawks a two goal cushion.

It looked as if we would be faced with a long afternoon at the Enclosed Ground but an emphatic reaction got us level just after half-time.

A clinical Cawley capitalised on a loose ball from a Ben Greenhalgh cross to fire past Mitch Walker to get one back within just nine minutes.

The Hawk’s keeper failed to hang onto the ball to present the chance to Cawley again who slotted the ball into an empty net to get us level five minutes from the break.

It looked as though we would only kick on from there having had the better of the football since going two-nil down so early on.

The introduction of Vinnie Bowman, who scored his first senior goal here a month ago, created a dangerous partnership with Cawley which caused the Hawks all sorts of problems.

Whitehawk always looked dangerous on the counter but so did we with both sides pushing for a winner in an end to end game.

That all came to a sudden halt however when the referee brandished a red card after Greenhalgh collided with a Hawks player with the referee claiming that Ben had kicked out whilst they were on the floor.

A man down with fifteen minutes to go, Whitehawk piled on the pressure which payed off with a 93rd minute winner.

Kayani reacted quickest at the back post and Seaden’s trailing leg ricocheted the ball into his own net in an agonising last minute defeat.

Another loss and another last minute goal may make for grim reading for Gate fans but it’s clear that manager Mark Stimson’s Margate is taking shape.

After the first fifteen, we saw some excellent football and huge fight to get us level and the very least we deserved from the game was a draw against a side with a daunting home record.

Stimson hopes to see some fresh faces in time for our next match against Concord Rangers and will be boosted by the return of Sam Blackman and Tyrone Sterling who served suspensions today.

It is still yet to be seen as to whether Greenhalgh will be available with the club planning to review the footage to see if it is worth appealing.

Line-up: Harry Seaden, Archie Johnson, Godfrey Poku (Leo Mazzone 90'), Harry Hudson, Rohdell Gordon, Steve Cawley, Ellis Ashworth, Ben Greenhalgh , Fyn Rutherford, Vinnie Bowman (Taner Dogan 89'), Lewis Knight

Unused subs: Hobbs, Salmon

Goslscorer(s): 

Steve Cawley 23', 50'

Attendance

 391