Worthing takes all the points at HDP

By Tom Morris

Worthing were the visitors to Hartsdown Park for our 7th Pitching-In Isthmian League game of the shortened 2020-2021 season and went home with all 3 points after a 3-1 win.

The first half started with a chance for the Gate AS Richard Afrane-Kesey linked up nicely with Ufuah and Leighton (6’), received the ball out wide and sent over a cross that Leighton glanced just wide with a header. Afrane-Kesey had his first sight of goal in the 13th minute as Ufuah intercepted a Worthing short corner routine and ran the length of the pitch teeing up Afrane-Kesey who saw his shot blocked by the covering defender. 

Worthing were playing an exceptionally good possession game and had a number of short corner routines fail before Colbran (15”) shot just wide from a Myles-Meekums corner. In the 25th minute Dayshonne Golding wriggled through the Gate defence and aimed a fierce shot at goal but Vose was equal to it and made a great save! The opening goal came in the in the 28th minute. A debut goal for Richard Afane-Kesey. John Ufuah broke forward and his pass found Afane-Kesey in the box, the on-loan attacker took a touch and smashed the ball past Rees. 1-0 Margate!

That goal only acted to spur Worthing forward and after a near miss from another corner routine (33”) Mo Diallo scored the equaliser when a short goal kick routine presented Worthing the ball and Mo had a tap in at the far post (38”). 1-1. Six minutes later and it was 2-1 to our visitors as the lively Ricky Aguair (44”) was free in the box after a deflected cross to pass the ball past Vose and into the net. 2-1 Worthing.

A minute later and referee Jerry Heron ended the first half and the players retreated to the changing rooms for the half time team talks.

The second half started as the first ended with Worthing on the front foot and they duly scored as third as Dayshonne Golding (54”) was afforded too much time in the box to slot home at the back post. 3-1 Worthing. Manager Saunders replaced Bancroft with Moncur and Hatton for Ufuah as the Gate pushed forward in search of a goal. The best chance of the half fell to Moncur (73”) after a fake shot by Prestedge sold the defence a dummy and he fed Moncur in the box, but his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper.

Margate had their best spell in the last 10 minutes but could not find a way past Roco Rees and his defender, Worthing to their credit looked good on the break and after 3 minutes off injury time the game ended. 3-1 Worthing in the Isthmian Premier League.

Margate: Vose, Richards, Porter, Prestedge, Friend, Swift ©, Afrane-Kesey, Burnett, Leighton, Bancroft, Ufuah.

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