Cray Wanderers (H) - 26th December 2022

Margate welcome Cray Wanderers to Hartsdown Park on Boxing Day as they look to bounce back from their last home defeat to Hastings United.

The Blues were defeated 2-1 by the ’U’s on the 20th December which ended a run of seven games unbeaten.

The Boxing Day clash at Hartsdown Park will be the reverse of last year’s festive football offering as the Blues won 3-2 at Hayes Lane to take all three points and extend the festive cheer. The ‘Gate also won the home fixture last season as they fought back from an early goal to win 2-1 thanks to Vance Bola and Dan Thompson six minutes from time.

Manager Andy Drury drafted in further reinforcements just before Christmas Day as Marvin Hershel joined on loan from Dartford, whilst Matty Macarthur also joined from Gillingham. Midfielder Troy Howard joined Deal Town on a one-month loan to regain fitness after suffering with an ankle injury.

Despite seeing red cards in the defeat to Hastings United both Peter Ojemen and Korrey Henry will be available for selection. Midfielder Ade Cole will miss the game as he serves the final game of his three match suspension.

This fixture will be the last at Hartsdown Park of 2022 and we hope as many of you can join us for the earlier kick-off time of 1pm.

If you can’t make it then you can keep right up to date on Twitter @margate_fc from 12:30pm.

'Gate Suffer Boxing Day Blues

Margate suffered the Boxing Day blues as they lost 3-0 to Cray Wanderers at Hartsdown Park in what turned out to be Manager Andy Drury’s final game in charge.

Drury included new loan signings Marvin Hershel and Matty Macarthur in the starting eleven as the ‘Gate looked to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 home defeat just six days prior.

The Blues found themselves on the back foot early on as the visitors raced down the right and saw a low cross superbly deflected over by the outstretched foot of Harry Hudson.

The hosts took twenty minutes to get in their stride as new loan signing Macarthur struck a low shot which was well saved by the visitor’s ‘keeper. The visitors hit back with a couple of chances of their own as Daniel Jinadu was called into action to make a good save from an Anthony Cook free-kick.

The visitors didn’t have to wait much longer for their opener though as Peter Ojemen brought down Cook by the corner flag, with the resulting free-kick headed home by Tom Derry to make it 1-0.

Margate looked to hit back immediately with Ben Greenhalgh and David Smith linking up, only for the effort to be comfortably saved as Margate struggled to get going heading into half-time 1-0 down.

The hosts started brightly with Sam Blackman shooting inches wide, however the good start lasted no longer than 60 seconds as Cook hit a long range strike past Jinadu in the 47th minute to take complete control of the game.

The afternoon went from bad to worse in the 60th minute as Blackman was shown a second yellow card as the ‘Gate were reduced to ten men for the second game in a row. There was no way back for the Blues as Cray continued to pepper Jinadu’s goal with Cook again testing the reflexes of the Blues ‘keeper.

Cray debutant Josh Allen had only been on the pitch five minutes when he increased the visitors lead to 3-0 as the ‘Gate crumbled in front of the crowd of 502. Despite the 3-0 deficit the Blues continued to try and reduce the arrears with Freddy Barton and Cameron Brodie both having shots saved, however here was to be no fightback as the ‘Gate suffered a 3-0 defeat.

MARGATE: Jinadu, Kaiser, Hudson, Blackman, Smith (Bessey-Saldanha 85’), Greenhalgh, Barton, Ojemen, Oke, Macarthur (Deslandes 71’), Hershel (Brodie 60’)

Subs not used: Chandler, Henry

Attendance:

502