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Margate 3-4 Blues

Margate 3-4 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 19/11/19

 

Bishop’s Stortford won a seven-goal thriller at Hartsdown Park, with player-manager Jamie Cureton bagging a brace including the winner in the 90th minute at Margate.

The Blues led 0-2 and 1-3, before being pegged back to 3-3 late on, with David Manu and Shomari Barnwell also scoring.

 

The Gate started the brighter, with Al Hafeez Sanusi’s header missing the target by mere inches over the bar, before a Cureton free kick at the other end required intervention by Joe Tupper to flick it away from the onrushing Ryan Henshaw.

Before his goal, Manu had a few chances, first firing wide from range, then only finding Tupper’s gloves.

Michael Abnett made a good run from right back and found Elliot Reeves in the middle, he turned and shot but couldn’t find the target.

Manu then picked up the ball in midfield, and curled one into the top right corner from range, with Tupper rooted to the spot.

Barnwell nearly doubled the lead instantly, when a bouncing ball fell to him on the edge of the area, but his half volley went wide.

Ross Debrick advanced from left back to cross for Cureton, who threw himself at the low fizzed pass, but even at full stretch couldn’t convert.

Jack Thomas was typically tenacious in the middle of the park, winning the ball and getting attacks started, with another Manu shot going wide, before a great chance to equalise going begging with Noel Leighton spooned wide from close range when the Blues couldn’t clear from a corner.

Leighton had a long range effort comfortably saved by Fred Burbidge, before Cureton doubled the lead on the stroke of half time.

He nicked the ball away from Tupper and into the roof of the net from Henshaw’s flick-on of Alex Warman’s floated free kick from wide on the right.

 

Half time 0-2

 

The hosts started the second period with ex-Blues skipper Reece Prestedge having two long range shots, the first blocked by Ryan Charles and the second easily caught by Burbidge.

And the spell of pressure earned them a goal minutes later, when Reeves was given too much space to run and shoot from the left channel, he powered past Burbidge into the top corner.

Manu had another long range effort blocked, before Barnwell restored the two-goal lead.

Ben Sampayo played Cureton through after a driving run from right back, who then found his strike partner who turned on the edge of the box and shot past Tupper at the near post.

But once again Margate reduced the arrears, with Leighton shooting on the turn through a crowd of bodies after a corner.

Manu could only find Tupper’s gloves with a long range effort, before Adem Ramadan could only chest Jack Richards’ deep cross over the bar.

The Blues gave away a soft free kick that wasn’t cleared, and Leighton was on hand to get his second of the match, heading home from close range.

After a period of tension when it looked likely that 3-3 would be the final score, the Margate defence went to sleep allowing Cureton in to chip Tupper from close range.

The Blues sat back in the four added minutes, with every block and clearance cheered by the travelling support, but managed to grind out the win.

 

Full time 3-4

 

TEAMS

 

Margate XI

1: Joe Tupper

2: Michael Abnett

3: Chris Sessegnon

4: Reece Prestedge ©

5: Dam Johnson

6: Jay Porter

7: Jack Richards

8: Noel Leighton (Goal 65’ 71’)

9: Al Hafeez Sanusi (Oyenuga 69’)

10: Elliot Reeves (Goal 51’)

11: Adem Ramadan

 

Subs

12: Harrison Hatfull

13: Craig Holloway

14: Kudus Oyenuga

15: Alfie Eyles

16: Ben Thornby

 

Bishop’s Stortford XI

 

1: Fred Burbidge

2: Ben Sampayo

4: Jack Thomas

5: Sam Robbins

6: Ryan Henshaw,

7: Ryan Charles

8: Alex Warman

9: Jamie Cureton (Goal 45’ 90’) (McClenaghan 90+3’)

11: David Manu (Goal 22’) (Yellow card 87’)

16: Ross Debrick

20: Shomari Barnwell (Goal 63’)

 

Subs

3: Josue Antonio

14:Jordan Chiedozie

15: Ryan Richefond

18: Bradley McClenaghan

19: Louie Johnson

 

Attendance 171