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MFC 2, Tooting and Mitcham Utd 1 (RPL)
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With a vastly improved performance across the whole 90 minutes, Gate deservedly won for the first time since Boxing Day against seventh placed Tooting and Mitcham.
Sam Jones scored the opening goal on 10 minutes but Simon Parker equalised 10 minutes later. But it was debutant Leroy Huggins that popped up with the winner on 68 minutes to give manager Iain O’Connell his first win as Margate boss.
Manager Iain O’Connell opted to revert to three at the back with wing-backs, three in midfield and an attacking pairing that featured new signing Leroy Huggins alongside new dad, James Pinnock. John Keister was back in the starting 11, occupying the central position of the defensive trio. Aaron Lacey and Dan Stubbs – playing out of position – were the wing-backs and there was a nice balance of experience and attacking ability with Nick Barnes, Sam Jones and Jay Saunders in midfield.
From the first whistle, Margate were always competitive, didn’t really endure too much sustained pressure and responded well immediately the visitors scored their equaliser. Once Gate had gone ahead, they always looked the more likely to close out the win; but when you are bottom of the table, the final minutes of the game are always likely to be tense.
Nevertheless, Tooting and Mitcham played their part in what was an entertaining game that at times flowed from end to end.
Margate made another good start; Huggins influential in Gate’s first attack that led to a corner. The corner was only partially cleared and knocked back into the danger zone by Dan Stubbs. Huggins was inches away from connecting with the ball but the Terrors defence cleared.
Two minutes later though, Tooting showed their attacking intentions when the ball was chipped just over the Margate bar.
With 10 minutes on the clock, Margate took the lead. James Pinnock was fouled 40 yards from goal, to the left of centre. Barnes took the free kick and floated the ball towards the right of the six-yard box. Saunders nodded the ball back across the box and Sam Jones headed the ball just inside into the goal.
Sam Jones opens the scoring for Gate
Five minuets later Tooting won their first corner of the contest when Jamie Turner needed to be alert in turning a stinging drive from 22 yards just wide of his right post.
On 20 minutes, Tooting equalised. The Terrors had the ball in the Margate right back area, Simon Parker picked up possession, went past two defenders before curling the ball beyond Turner and into the goal.
Ten minutes before the break, Jones – who was a constant thorn in the sides of the Tooting defence – struck a volley that took a deflection off Dan Young but Dave King was behind it and made a regulation save.
With the half time break looming, Margate had a good shout for a penalty when Pinnock was brought down as he ran between two defenders just inside the Tooting area to get on the end of a free kick. The referee waved away appeals, suggesting that it was just a coming together of two players. In the meantime Jones tried a shot at goal, his effort fell short then Saunders pulled a shot wide of King’s right post.
Margate started the second half as they had ended the first; on the front foot. Tooting and Mitcham were increasingly restricted to playing on the break; trying to get on the end of long balls forward which for the most part, Margate’s defence handled with little drama.
The Blues had to wait until the 59th minute before they were able to fashion a chance from the possession they enjoyed. Lacey got the ball across to Jones on the right who rounded one defender, skipped past a further two challenges on his way into the penalty area and 12 yards from goal fired his shot over the bar when perhaps he might have hit the target.
On 65 minutes Pinnock hit a rising drive but King was able to adjust his position slightly and catch the ball at chest height. A minute later, Stubbs did exceptionally well to win the ball back, inside the Tooting right back area. He went to the bye-line, pulled the ball back across the six-yard box but somehow the visiting defence were able to scramble the ball clear despite the close attention of two Margate players.
Just after the three-quarter point, Gate went ahead for the second time in the match. The impressive Stubbs ran deep into Tooting territory before chipping the ball across for Huggins who headed the ball into the net for a debut goal, to become the 17th goal scorer for the Blues so far this season.
The Terrors did have a chance from a free kick 20 yards out on 75 minutes when Parker was brought down on the edge of the “D” but the Tooting effort was fired a yard over the bar. Five minutes later the visitors had another shot but again they failed to trouble Turner as the ball flew high over the bar. On the rare occasion that Tooting got behind the defence with a wonderful chipped pass, Paul Vines’ first touch was too heavy and the ball went across the bye-line for a goal kick.
Margate were still looking the more dangerous going forward and were close to extending their lead when Barnes sent the ball forward; Pinnock eventually picking up possession as the Tooting defence failed to win the ball. He fed Jones who returned the ball to Pinnock but he put his effort onto the woodwork.
Despite all that had gone before, the narrow one goal lead set up a nervous final few minutes as the Terrors sought to record the equaliser. But all Tooting could manager in the final stages was a header a yard wide of the post.
So Margate’s long winless run was ended with a performance that was in stark contract to the last two, and the Blues will hope to use this result as a springboard to Premier Division safety.
Margate: Turner, Lacey, Stubbs, Keister, Cooper, Young, Barnes, Saunders, Huggins, Pinnock (Blackman 90), Jones.
Subs not used: Anderson, Groombridge, Haverson, Grant.
Tooting and Mitcham United: King, Hamlin, Nelson, Graves, J.Vines, York, Hartburn, Goode, P.Vines, Parker, Henry.
Subs: Clayton, Bracken, Heverin, Pitterson, McLeod.
Match commentary:
First Half
Second Half
Match reaction:
Iain OConnell
Leroy Huggins |
09 Mar 2010 by Steve Wells
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