Solid 'Gate Shut Out Stortford

Margate remained unbeaten for the month of February as they held high flying Bishop’s Stortford to a 0-0 draw at Hartsdown Park in the Isthmian Premier Division on Saturday afternoon.

Despite our fine form in February, Stortford were one of few teams that enjoyed a better February record, and in fact had only lost once in their previous 23 games in the league.

With only two goals conceded between them in the month of February this was always going to be a battle of the two defences, and that showed in the opening stages of the game with neither side creating much.

In an opening 45 minutes with not many chances, it was the visitors who probably saw the best chance go their way as Jason Banton saw his effort hit the side netting. The hosts weren’t without the occasional charge forward, however their best chance of the half fell to Defender Lewis Knight who saw his half volley narrowly go over the bar in the 40th minute.

The visitors had the ball in the net in the 55th minute as Jack Thomas fired home, only for the referee to adjudge that ‘Gate Keeper Ben Bridle-Card had been fouled in the lead up.

Manager Jay Saunders introduced returning striker Ken Feyi and youngster Fyn Rutherford, and it was the former who almost broke the deadlock as he saw his header saved by Jack Giddens from a decent Rutherford cross.

In truth that was probably as good as it got for the hosts in an attacking sense, however they had Bridle-Card late on for saving them a point, but not before the visitors smacked the post in the 87th minute.

Substitute Oliver Peters picked up on some desperate ‘Gate defending but saw his effort rebound off the post.

The moment of the match was saved for the 91st minute though as the visitors looked to have won it, only an incredible save from Bridle-Card preventing them. Darren Foxley was played clear and got ahead of the Blues backline, only for Bridle-Card to pull off some heroics to keep the score level.

Margate return to action on Tuesday evening at Hartsdown Park as they continue their Kent Senior Cup campaign at home to Gillingham for a 7:45pm kick off.

MARGATE: Bridle-Card, Lema (Rutherford 73’), Odaudu, Agyemang, Knight, Swift, Vaivada (Feyi 59’), Hatfull, Bessey-Saldanha, Bola, Greenhalgh

Subs Not Used: Lamb, Kallmeier, Nzinga

Attendance

501

Margate Man of the Match

Ben Swift

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