Margate 2-0 Sutton United - We know what we've got to do, says Yorath

Saturday 18th April 2009

MARGATE 2-0 SUTTON UNITED
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 18^th April 2009
Mike Green reports from Hartsdown Park

THE GREAT escape is on – but only just!
For as Margate boss Terry Yorath put it, “Sutton bulled us; fairly but they bullied us from start to finish, but we scored the second goal at just the right time and it gives hope now to take to Staines next week.”

And it’s little wonder that the former Welsh international was crowing about his young side’s performance because not only has this result given Margate the lifeline that just a few short weeks ago they didn’t appear to have, it has also put a huge dent in the play-off dreams of Sutton United.

Yet again, on a visit to Kent, Sutton flattered to deceive and goals from Joe Healey and Kenny Pratt, once again, mean that they leave the county pointless with their own play-off dreams in tatters.

With a strong wind blowing off the North Sea and down the middle of the Hartsdown Park pitch, the visitors’ decided to kick with the wind at their backs, but it was Margate who had the first chance when on seven minutes Ryan Peters, with a free-kick, brought a smart save out of goalkeeper Paul Nicholls.

As Sutton dominated territorially, they failed to trouble the magnificent Margate rearguard – led by skipper Dan Young, but ably assisted by Jack Haverson and Luke Wheatley and were restricted in their chances from a shot from David Hughes, which flew over the bar, and a ball across the face of goal from Laurent Hamici, which was crying out to be swept home.

Fortunately for the Gate, however, no white shirted Sutton player responded quick enough.

With Wayne Wilson occupying and dominating the midfield, Margate themselves began to create chances and on 36 minutes, after a fine run from Curtis Robinson (where the full-back left four Sutton defenders in his wake), Wilson thundered a 30-yard drive against the Sutton crossbar.

It was only a temporary reprieve, however, for the visitors’ as the home side broke the deadlock seven minutes from half-time.

Peters and Wilson worked a cute free-kick routine, which saw Wilson’s drive come back of Nicholls and Healey reacted quickest to bundle home from close range.

Stung into action and also almost certainly by a fiery half-time team-talk, Sutton came out after the break and in a twelve minute period fashioned SIX glorious chances to equalise – all of which were squandered.

Gavin McCullum had a shot tipped aside by Mullin; Craig Dundas was denied an open goal by a fabulous challenge from Aaron Lacy; Mullin then denied Matt Hann with his knees; McCullum then saw a volley fly inches wide from twenty-yards; Dean Palmer then blazed wide when clean through before Hughes missed the clearest chance of all. A long free-kick was nodded down by Palmer and Hughes, in space and with time, blazed high over the Margate bar.

After weathering such a storm, the Margate young guns re-found their feet and Wilson was desperately unlucky with a shot which curled wide of the left post.

Wilson and Healey then combined down the left only for the final delivery to be just too far in front of a stretching Haverson.

The points were sealed seven minutes from time. Wilson’s shot (which he later claimed to be a “pass”) seemed destined for the corner flag before Pratt stuck out a left boot to net his ninth of the season from six yards.

The final whistle along with news of results elsewhere brought scenes of joy that have been missed at Hartsdown this season.

Whilst Yorath’s side now face the daunting task of having to go to runners-up Staines Town on the last day of the season next weekend, the Margate boss, speaking to BBC Radio Kent conceded that he’d sooner have his selection to make rather than that of his opposite number Staines boss Steve Cordery.

“We’ll go there knowing our strongest team and knowing what we must do to stay in this league,” he said.

“I’m convinced that if we’d have had this group of players at the start of the season we would be comfortably in midtable if not higher.

“We’ll go to Staines next week fighting for our lives and if I was in their shoes, with a play-off semi-final to come on the following Tuesday, I wouldn’t fancy facing us knowing what we have to do.”

Whilst this was a great result for Gate, it must be remembered that they will go to Wheatsheaf Park knowing that victory may not be enough to save them as despite the fact that Boreham Wood, Hendon and Hastings United are just one, two and three points respectively ahead of Yorath’s men.

Only champions Dover Athletic have a better home record than the Swans so it could be said that it’s not quite mission impossible – but in footballing terms even with everything crossed, it must be pretty close.

Margate: Pat Mullin, Danny Stubbs, Curtis Robinson, Jack Haverson, Dan Young, Luke Wheatley, Aaron Lacy (Roberto Corbishley 78), Wayne Wilson, Joe Healey, Ryan Peters (Aaron Quain 71), Kenny Pratt.
Subs: Joe Taylor, James Gregory, Chris Wright.

Goals: Joe Healey 38, Kenny Pratt 83

Sutton United: Paul Nicholls, Tim Bond, Alan Bray, David Hughes, Chris Collin (Danny Phillips 67), Karin El-Salah, Matt Hann, Laurent Hamici (Billy Jones 78), Craig Dundas (Steve Watts 63), Dean Palmer, Gavin McCullum.

Booked: Dean Palmer 47

Attendance: 620
Referee: Mr Tony Goddard (Dagenham, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Graeme Ions (Maidstone) & Mr Keith Stone (Ramsgate)