23rdoct05

Sunday 23rd October 2005

Amoako is last piece in our jigsaw - Kinnear

Adolph Amoako's goal ten minutes from time helped Margate end a run of eight unwanted successive Ryman Premier League draws on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The former Bromley striker, whose now netted two goals in three games for the Thanet club, found the net 62 times from 163 appearances for his former side - scored the only goal of the game against Wealdstone.

Margate, thirteenth in the table, travel to Dulwich Hamlet to tackle third placed side Fisher Athletic on Monday night.

Having started their season with a 1-0 win over Maldon Town on their Hartsdown Park return, Margate lost their only league game of the season in their next game at Staines Town before going on to draw their next eight league games, but Amoako's impressive start to his Margate career is pleasing manager Chris Kinnear.

Speaking in an audio interview on www.margate-fc.com, Kinnear was pleased with the 1-0 win over the Stones.

"I think we deserved it really," he said. "Again, it's difficult because, again - changes.

"We can't just get that cohesion. It's just a matter of getting a settled side and we'll start winning games."

Kinnear has been adding to his squad during the course of the season, having only had 14 players available for their opening day fixture.

But he warns fans it will take him a while to get the players it needs to earn promotion.

"We knew it was going to be difficult with these changes," he said.

"During the first 20 minutes against Wealdstone we passed it and played the way we wanted to play, but it's still taking a bit of time.

"But as I said from the beginning - we are not the team we were three years ago and it took us three or four years to get together.

"It will be a slow, hopefully not too painful process, but we'll be there very soon."

But Kinnear admits he has finally found a prolific striker, to play alongside fans favourite, Leon Braithwaite.

"The last piece of the jigsaw are the usual blokes who are going to score goals. It looks like we've got one now with Adolph (Amoako)," he said.

"He's scored a few goals lately and maybe we can get another prolific one when Leon gets back into the swing of things.

"Leon's not quite right yet - he's played with a bit of a hamstring strain so it's just a matter of getting us all back right and getting through the next week or two and hopefully we'll start signing people."

One of Margate's best signings this season is defender Warren Ryan, and the former Fisher Athletic defender must be relishing his return on Monday.

Both sides shared a 1-1 draw at Hartsdown Park in September and Kinnear added: "Warren is one whose long term. I'd like to say we are nearly there but I don't think we are really.

"But that doesn't mean, with the side we've got, we can't go and win games."

Fisher Athletic v Margate
Ryman Premier League
Monday 24th October 2005
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Dulwich Hamlet FC, Edgar Kail Way, Dog Kennel Hill, London SE22 8BD