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Margate 3-0 Chelmsford City, Saturday 2nd September 2006, Hartsdown Park, Kick-Off 3:00pm, Ryman League Premier Division.
The Clarets suffered a disastrous three-goal defeat on the South Coast as Margate recorded a comfortable victory at Hartsdown Park. Chelmsford's first defeat of the season arrived in comprehensive circumstances as their fellow promotion candidates picked them apart on occasions. Two changes were made from side which drew with Billericay Town as Jay Conroy came in at right back in place of Liam Hopkins and Chris Duffy replaced Stuart Ainsley on the opposite side. For Margate, former City striker Danny Hockton started up front and he was to continue his rich vein of form with another goal. The first chance belonged to the Clarets in the 14th minute as Kezie Ibe was brought down on the edge of the area and dead ball specialist Mario Noto stepped-up to curl his effort narrowly over. Five minutes later the home side almost opened their account, Lee Protheroe dragging a shot across the face of goal via a deflection for a corner. Conditions on the Kent coastline were windy and Noto's 23rd-minute strike was given some extra zip as it nearly found the top corner but there was no stopping Margate's opener two minutes later. James Pinnock collected a ball from the right flank and turned to shoot past Richard McKinney for the first goal of the game. Noto seemed to be the single outlet for attacks at the other end, which were few and far between, but the tricky winger went closer with hi 32nd-minute free-kick which came back off the outside of the post and eventually away. He also caused goalkeeper Scott Calmers-Stevens to save moments before the interval with another effort. However, City were to go into the break two-down as Margate broke quickly and fed the ball to Paull Abbott who made no mistake in finding the far bottom corner from just inside the penalty box in the sixth minute of injury time. In an attempt to get his side back in the game, Jeff King restructured his left-hand side for the second half, introducing Mitchell Lowes and Ricky Holmes to the action. Holmes was his usual pacey and skilful self but it was still the hosts who maintained the upper hand and Hockton forced McKinney to come out and block five minutes in. On 52 minutes Margate added a third. Out of a crowd of players in the six-yard box, Hockton got his head to a right-wing cross and claimed his seventh goal of the campaign. This also largely signalled the end of the game as a spectacle. Apart from an Ibe run which culminated in some mis-control at the vital moment later-on, the majority of the action was consigned to the last ten minutes with Jimmy Jackson side-footing over for Margate with nine minutes remaining and a ball breaking to Noto two minutes from time which Calmers-Stevens claimed well at the second attempt after a decent strike at goal. If there was a small consolation for Chelmsford it was being able to compete in the last minute against ten men as Gate substitute Dean Standen recklessly received his marching orders for violent conduct just two minutes after entering the proceedings. But this wasn't to pacify the travelling supporters for too long as Margate recorded a decent victory. City: 1 Richard McKinney 12 Tony Battersby (On for Hallett, 74) Margate: Scott Calmers-Stevens, Greg Oates, Justin Skinner, Lee Protheroe, Chris Wild, James Donovan, Steve McKimm, Paull Abbott, James Pinnock, Danny Hockton, Jimmy Jackson. Subs: Dean Standen, Charlie Mitten (GK), Louis Smith, Aaron Robinson, Osman Sesay. Bookings: City: Noto (36, foul), Heeroo (45, foul). Margate: Wild (60, foul). Sent Off: Margate: Standen (90, violent conduct) Referee: Mr R. Smith. Assistant Referees: Mr A. Marshall and Mr J. Gooding. Attendance: 796. City Man of the Match: Mario Noto. |
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By Chris
Evans (Picture by Matt Bradshaw)
