Canvey Island (A) - 11th March 2023

By Josh Cole

It’s the second of three successive away games for the ‘Gate as we travel to Essex to face promotion chasing Canvey Island on Saturday afternoon. 

In the last match, a battling performance saw Margate come away from Hertfordshire with all three points thanks to a first half strike from wing-back Harrison Hatfull. The game finished 0-1 which shone light on another great defensive performance from the back five. The result meant we leapfrogged Haringey Borough and moved up one place to 15th but more importantly 15 points clear of the drop zone.

Emmanuel Oke is available to return to the starting XI after completing his three-match ban from the squad. Taylor Fisher and Ade Cole remain doubts for the trip to Essex.

The last meeting between the two sides saw Margate beat Canvey Island 2-0 at Hartsdown Park. It was a feisty affair with red cards being shown to ‘Gate midfielder Sam Blackman, Canvey defender Mason Hall and Canvey Island’s manager, who also received his marching orders.

Recent matches between the two sides have been even with Margate winning two games, Canvey winning two games and three draws between the two teams since October 2012.

Canvey are unbeaten in their last five matches with wins against Haringey Borough (1-2), Enfield Town (3-0), and Potters Bar (5-0) and draws against Corinthian-Casuals (0-0) and most recently Bishop’s Stortford (2-2). Margate have kept three clean sheets in a row in the league but need to improve at the other end of the pitch having only mustered up four goals in their last five matches.

A win at The Movie Starr Stadium would all but secure Margate’s stay in the Isthmian Premier Division for next season, but Canvey have their own ideas at the other end of the spectrum as they look to gain promotion into the Vanarama National League South and currently occupy the last play-off place heading into the final stretch of the season.

3pm kick-off, but if you are unable to make the journey to Essex, then head over to our official twitter @margate_fc for live match updates from 2:15pm onwards!

GROUND ADDRESS

The Movie Starr Stadium

Park Lane

Canvey Island

Essex

SS8 7PX

Blues Suffer Bruising Defeat At Canvey

Margate were left stunned as they suffered a second half comeback from Canvey Island as they were defeated 5-2 at the Movie Starr Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Manager Reece Prestedge named the same starting eleven that won 1-0 at Potters Bar Town on Tuesday evening, however was dealt a blow in the warm-up as Nathan Wood suffered an ankle injury, meaning Ruben Soares-Junior moved into the starting eleven.

Margate started the game with good intentions as Freddy Barton saw a long range shot fly just over, before Phil Roberts was denied close range by the home ‘keeper in the 11th minute as Margate went in search of an opening goal.

Evans Kouassi looked a threat with his pace and strength up top for the home side, however Daniel Jinadu was equal to his low effort as Margate continued their fine defensive form of late as they reduced the home side to just half chances.

Soares-Junior almost caught Bobby Mason off guard in the Canvey goal as his long range effort needed tipping over before the Blues lost Roberts to injury, he was replaced by Harvey Smith. Despite another injury setback, Margate continued their impressive first half display as Ben Greenhalgh saw a goalwards effort blocked, before one of his wonderful free-kicks needed a stretching dive from Mason to prevent giving the ‘Gate a lead.

Margate were to get their deserved half-time lead though in the 45th minute, as the referee awarded the Blues a penalty which was duly dispatched home by Greenhalgh as Margate led at the break.

Despite their lead, Margate knew that play-off chasing Canvey were not going to roll over and let the Blues travel home with three points easily, and that was exactly the case in the 55th minute as the hosts levelled from a corner as Elliott Ronto headed home. .

Things turned from bad to worse for the ‘Gate three minutes later as the inform Kouassi raced past Harrison Hatfull and Sinn’kaye Christie to strike the hosts into a 2-1 lead. A bad three minutes soon turned into a nightmare six minutes as Bradley Sach saw his effort hit the bar, only to fall to Kouassi who prodded home to make it 3-1.

Margate had a glorious chance to half the margin in the 69th minute as the ball was worked wide before finding its way to Soares-Junior who somehow managed to lift his effort over the bar from six yards out as Margate looked for a way back into the game.

The score line was halved in the 89th minute as a lovely move saw the ball swept out to Freddy Barton who curled a superb effort home to make it 3-2 with still four minutes’ additional time to be played.

Any hopes of a Blues comeback were dashed immediately from the restart as Kouassi sealed his hat-trick with a fine solo goal to dampen the Margate joy just seconds earlier.

Canvey weren’t done there though and rubbed salt in the wounds in the final minute of additional time as birthday boy Bradley Sach got in on the action to secure the hosts a 5-2 victory.

MARGATE Xl: Jinadu, Hatfull, Christie, Hudson, Blackman, Soares-Junior, Roberts (Smith 39’), Greenhalgh, Barton, Ojemen

Subs not used: Fisher, Sutcliffe, Wood, Oke

Margate Goalscorer’s

Ben Greenhalgh 45’ (PEN)

Freddy Barton 89’

Attendance

461