stalbans050405

Saints and Sinners

TWO late goals from substitute Eseyas Yudego weren't enough as Margate remain in the Nationwide Conference South drop zone tonight.

Margate got off to the worse possible start conceeding after only 40 seconds.  'Gate defender Alexis Charalambous lost possession to Kezie Ibe outside the box and his centre from the by-line was met by Tom Davis to rifle home.

Rocky Baptiste then rifled a shot high over the bar from close range but Margate's best chance to equalise came after 25 minutes.  Adrian Clarke's cross from the left was met by Che Stadhart whose deft header flashed wide of the far post.

Chris Kinnear's men were punished seven minutes later as City doubled their advantage.  Dean Hooper- who has been sent off four times this season - sent in a cross - after a penetrating run down the right by Ibe - and Gavin Tomlin headed home from six yards.

Margate goalkeeper Peter Trego made an agile save, reacting well to Scott Cousins' whipped in cross from the left flank from 35-yards, managing to tip the curling effort over.

Ten minutes after the interval, Rocky Baptiste, who cut inside Hooper, should have done better with the ball on his right foot, but the Margate striker blazed high over the bar from 18 yards.

At the other end, Ben Walsh squared a free kick to Davis in space but his shot rolled comfortably into Trego's grateful arms. 

But the Hertfordshire side added a third with 22 minutes left.  Charalambous lost possession to Chris Seeby in midfield and Gavin Tomlin slipped a pass to Ibe - the former Staines Town striker, on loan from Yeovil Town - and he comfortably ran into the area and with only the goalkeeper to beat he slotted home into the bottom far corner.

The introduction of 72nd minute substitute Yudego finally sparked life into the Kent side and with 13 minutes left he pulled a goal back with a fluke.

His left wing cross from some 35-yards from goal floated in off the far post and into Paul Bastock's net.

Six minutes later, Yudego, making only his second substitute appearance for the club, tucked home a shot into the far corner of the net after a flick on from Trego's long punt upfield, setting up a dramatic finale.

Ross Smith and substitute Moses Jjunju went close for the Kent side as they tried in vain to pull back an undeserved point and at the other end Trego clawed out a shot from Seeby.

Margate have only four more games to maintain their Nationwide Conference South status and face Dorchester Town at The Homelands on Saturday.

Margate: Peter Trego, Peter Benevides, Alexis Charalambous (Eseyas Yudego 72), Bill Edwards, Aaron Barnett, Ross Smith, Darren Watson (Moses Jjunju 59), Pat Gradley, Che Stadhart, Rocky Baptiste, Adrian Clarke (Capt).  Sub: Nejdet Hussein

St Albans City: Paul Bastock, Dean Hooper (Chris Zoricich 61), Scott Cousins, Nick Roddis, Ben Martin, Chris Wild, Tom Davis, Chris Seeby, Kezie Ibe, Gavin Tomlin, Ben Walshe.  Subs: Tom Beech, Carl Kavanagh, Lee Fledwick

Referee: J Rowbury
Assistants: G Smith & I Cooper