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Margate cut down the Forest

Margate stumbled their way  into the third qualifying round of the FA Cup with victory over tricky Southern League Division One East opponents Waltham Forest in front of a very quiet crowd of 201 in Ashford.

After a goal-less first half, the game sprung into life with two goals in the opening five minutes of the second half.  Goals from John Keister and Moses Jjunju - their first strikes of the season - sealed their passage into the next round.

Margate's first chance came in the 5th minute when former Plymouth Argyle striker, Daniel Bulley, making only his second appearance, tried his luck from 40-yards but his shot was always going to go wide.

Striker Rocky Baptiste's 23-yard shot deflected wide for a corner kick and after a stoppage for injury, Adrian Clarke's flag-kick was met by a powerful header from Aaron Barnett eight yards from goal but flew over the bar.

Greg Oates, who was forced off with a patella injury at the break, made inroads down the right flank, setting up Pat Gradley but he blasted over from 22-yards.

The visitors grew in confidence and Ian Barnes, who was earlier booked for a crunching tackle on Darren Annon, struck a left-footed 24-yarder well wide of the right post.

Waltham Forest captain Marvin Walker whipped in a cross from the left hand side that caused home goalkeeper Peter Trego - who played cricket for both Kent and Somerset - problems, but he allowed the ball to drift wide.

The visitors best chance, however, came in the 28th minute when Dewayne Clarke let fly with a fierce 22-yard shot that flashed past the left upright.

Margate suffered cruel luck in the 31st minute when John Keister in midfield played the ball for Baptiste and almost added to his six goals so far this season, but after lobbing goalkeeper Gavin King, defender Dave Bastian made a superb sliding goal-line clearance.

However, Gradley picked up the ball on the left hand side of the six-yard box, striking the foot of the far post and the chance to break the deadlock went begging.

Moments later, Baptiste went close from a dipping shot but three minutes before the break the visitors issued their higher league hosts a warning when the ball fell to former Erith & Belvedere man Soloman Henry who lashed a just wide of the near post.

Margate did open the scoring after only 108 seconds of the second half starting.

Baptiste did ever so well to hold the ball up on the edge of the penalty area and gave the ball to Keister.

He produced a great run bursting past two defenders and then neatly slotted the ball in across the goalkeeper.

However, the lead didn't last long, as Waltham Forest responded marvelously netting the equaliser only 92 seconds later.

Tariq Nabil played the ball down the right flank for lively Papa Kanyuku in space who cut the ball back for skipper Walker and he side-footed the ball into the far corner of the net past Trego from 12-yards.

After Baptiste should have scored from six-yards, the visitors missed a good chance when Carl Ashton's cross was fired agonisingly wide of the foot of the far post by Kanyuku.

Another chance came the Walthamstow outfit's way, following Ashton's corner, central defender Simon Tickner's 16-yard free header went wide.

Clarke sent Baptiste on his way down the left flank, running towards the penalty area, before he was forced along the 18-yard line, but still managed to drill a shot which was comfortably saved at the second attempt by experienced goalkeeper King.

Margate, however, sealed the victory in the 68th minute.

Keister again played his part in the goal, running into the box and giving the ball to substitute Moses Junju.

The youngster - who is a very close friend of Tottenham star Jermain Defoe, after playing at West Ham  together - had his first chance blocked but scored at the second attempt.

Another Margate substitute, Tamba Ngongu almost got on the score sheet when his 40-yard drive was pushed around the post by King.

Clarke's cross picked out Baptiste but his six-yard header was narrowly over but the Kent side held out in the last ten minutes despite some good pressure from the visitors, pleasing manager Chris Kinnear.

He said: "We didn't play very well to be fair.  We had four teenagers out there playing as well.

"Greg Oates started the game, when he really shouldn't have started but he did great just to even start.

"He had to go off, so again we had two midfield players aged 18, playing as full-backs.

"It was a difficult game for us but it's good to get through into the next round.  Everyone forgets how the game was played when the draw is made on Monday."


Margate: Peter Trego, Greg Oates (Tamba Ngongu 46), Alex Charalambous, Bill Edwards, Aaron Barnett, Darren Annon (Capt), John Keister, Pat Gradley, Daniel Bulley (Moses Jjunju 53), Rocky Baptiste, Adrian Clarke.  Subs: Tope Arojogun, Nejuet Hussein (GK)

Waltham Forest: Gavin King, Yiotis Panayiotoy, Dave Bastian, Simon Tickner, Soloman Henry (Hasan Kardal 77), Ian Barnes, Papa Kanyuku, Tariq Nabil, Dewayne Clarke, Carl Ashton (Paul Armand 85), Marvin Walker (Capt, Hasan Oktay 68).  Subs: Hughes Guei, Halil Akil.

Referee: J Rowbury
Assistants: I Menzies & A Neil

Attendance: 201