Margate 0-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report

Margate 0-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 26/2/22

 

Bishop’s Stortford were held to a goalless draw at Margate on Saturday, losing ground in the race for the Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division title, with Worthing increasing their lead to eight points over the Blues after their win against third placed Enfield Town, who sit four points behind Stortford. It was a fourth consecutive clean sheet for the visitors to Hartsdown Park, all coming away from home, while the Gate haven’t conceded in their last five league matches.

 

Chances were at a premium in a match between two of the league’s best defences, but it was the Blues who started better, with Ryan Charles heading over the bar from Archie Edwards’ right wing free kick. A long ball from Lewis Knight was headed away by captain Ryan Henshaw, with Benas Vaivada chasing down the loose ball, but Jack Giddens got there first and got it in his gloves. A sloppy defensive pass from the hosts and drove towards goal, and he laid it off to Jason Banton but he could only fire wide of the target. Charles laid off the ball smartly to Chris Harris who half-volleyed at goal, but it was blocked by a defender, and Edwards whipped in a right wing free kick towards goal, and goalkeeper Ben Bridle-Card managed to punch it clear, to Jack Thomas on the edge of the box but he volleyed over the target on the rebound. Frankie Merrifield dragged a shot wide after a run and cut back from Charles on the right, before Knight volleyed over the bar following a clearing header from a corner.

 

HT 0-0

 

Merrifield dribbled into the box but took the ball too wide and shot into the side netting, and Thomas stung Bridle-Card’s gloves with a powerful strike following Montel Agyemang’s header from a Giddens long kick. Thomas did have the ball in the net, with a half-volley on the turn, but referee Joe McKay gave a free kick for a foul on Bridle-Card in the build-up. The Blues pressure was building, and the breakthrough looked imminent, with Merrifield curling wide from the left side of the box. Anthony Church headed wide from a Henshaw deep cross. The best two chances of the match came in the final 10 minutes, substitute Ollie Peters hit the post from Johnville Renee’s cut back off the right, aiming for the top corner from 15 yards his shot ricocheted off the woodwork. Ryan Charles picked up the ball in the Blues half and drove towards the Margate defence, his through ball to Darren Foxley was perfectly weighted but Bridle-Card made a fine low save to deny him right at the death.

 

FT 0-0

 

After four consecutive away games, the Blues have three on the bounce at home against Horsham on Saturday 5 March, Merstham on Saturday 12 March, and the rearranged Worthing game on Tuesday 15 March.

 

TEAMS

Margate XI

1 Ben Bridle-Card

2 Crossley Lema (Rutherford 73’)

3 Samuel Odaudu

4 Montel Agyemang

5 Lewis Knight

6 Ben Swift (c)

7 Benas Vaivada (Feyi 59’)

8 Harrison Hatfull

9 James Bessey-Saldanha

10 Nkori Bola

11 Ben Greenhalgh

Subs

12 George Lamb

13 Owen Kallmeier

14 Veron Nzinga

17 Fyn Rutherford

19 Ken Feyi

 

Blues XI

1 Jack Giddens

3 Archie Edwards

4 Anthony Church

5 Sam Robbins (Peters 84’)

6 Ryan Henshaw (c)

7 Jason Banton (Foxley 46’)

9 Chris Harris (Renee 69’)

10 Frankie Merrifield

12 Jack Thomas

15 Ryan Charles

19 Billy Cracknell

Subs

8 Archie Jones

11 Johnville Renee

14 Darren Foxley

16 Oliver Peters

17 Mark Haines

 

Attendance 501