Herne Bay 1-2 Margate - Everybody put the effort in and I think that showed in the performance, says Margate player-manager Ben Greenhalgh

Herne Bay 1 – 2 Margate
Location	Winch's Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG
Kickoff	01/01/2025 15:00

HERNE BAY  1-2  MARGATE
Isthmian League South East Division
Wednesday 1 January 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Winch’s Field

MARGATE player-manager Ben Greenhalgh says everybody put the effort in after his side grabbed a victory to consolidate their place within the Isthmian League South East Division play-off zone.

Herne Bay awarded Scott Heard the man-of-the-match award but the versatile midfielder was at fault for both of Margate’s goals, as Greenhalgh and left-back Kai Garande both scored with left-footed shots from outside the penalty area to give third-placed Margate a 2-0 lead.

Herne Bay striker Kane Haysman headed in his tenth goal of the season but the home side couldn’t find the equaliser that their front-foot performance deserved, with Kane Rowland coming off the bench to head against the base of the far post towards the end of this Kent derby.

Since losing 4-2 at home to Sheppey United in the Velocity Cup on 26 November, Margate have extended their unbeaten run to six games – or unbeaten in their last 14 league outings.

“Brilliant performance in conditions that were horrible to be honest.  We scored two very good goals and they then sent everyone at us and they managed to get one goal back from a corner,” said Greenhalgh.

“We had to stay solid and we had to defend because of the conditions.  They went down wind second half and when you’re always up against that, it’s always going to be a bit of an issue but we felt strong and it’s another good three points away from home.”

When asked about the conditions, Greenhalgh replied: “Horrible! Horrible! We had a game recently against Erith at home where the conditions just ruined the game and we ended up just getting a point.

“The same could’ve happened today but we were a little bit more solid. We were a little bit more clever and less naïve in terms of desperate to win the game, so we just made sure that we got the job done.”

Herne Bay manager Steve Lovell said: “I thought there was only one team in it all game. I thought we were the better side all the way through the game.

“They’ve had two shots at goal and scored two really good goals. That’s the way it’s been going. We’ve dominated, dominated the game from start to finish.

“The conditions were the same for both sides. I thought we passed the ball a lot better. We created a lot more chances than them and I thought we outfought them.

“I thought it was a terrific performance by our boys.  The only stat – that I’ve said in the (dressing room) the disappointing one, is the 2-1.”

A crowd of 652 were at Winch’s Field on a horrible rain-lashed, cold and very windy Kent derby, which Herne Bay controlled.

The home side created their first opening after only 23 seconds when central defender Joel-Michael Odeniran wasn’t pressed and was allowed to put in a hanging cross towards the edge of the Margate penalty area and the ball was headed out to Heard, who leaned back and smacked a left-footed half-volley high over the crossbar from inside the D.

“We planned today to have a go at them. We set up with a 3-1-4-2 formation.  Liam Friend going off early doors (hamstring) didn’t help the situation. We went back to a 4-3-3 and then changed to 3-4-3 at the end,” revealed Lovell.

“No matter what systems you play, it’s all about people’s performances and the way that they perform and the way they work and adhere to those systems and they did all the way through.”

Margate swiftly strode forward and attacking midfielder Ben Allen cut the ball onto his left-footed before dragging his shot across the keeper and past the far post from outside the box after only 65 seconds.

Greenhalgh said: “I think the game was open, both had opportunities to score and I think later on in the game, if we were a bit critical and say that we should’ve done a lot more with ours.

“They attacked it early doors so there was always going to be chances within this game.”

It was an open start from both sides in miserable conditions and Margate’s goalkeeper Reece Hobbs was called into making a vital save in the 13^th minute.

Herne Bay striker Michael Salako rolled the ball out to left-wing-back Monty Saunders and he floated in a cross towards the back post where Salako’s downward header from four-yards was pushed around the near-post by the Dartford Academy goalkeeper, low to his left.

“We had a number of opportunities as you mentioned as the game went on but even from the first couple of minutes we created things,” added Lovell.

Greenhalgh, who is Academy manager at Isthmian League Premier Division side Dartford, knows all about goalkeeper Hobbs.

“It was a great save.  The game was quite even at that point and it was a moment where they sent a lot of men into the box but for Reece to turn up for the two games he’s played now in a row, as a nineteen-year-old, it’s brilliant that he’s turned up at the right time there, making a great save.

“He’s from Dartford Academy. We’ve had him three years at the Academy. He did last year at Margate where he was still at the Academy and then this year, we wanted to push him a little bit more with Tom Wray.

“Tom’s been unbelievable but Tom’s had this virus which everyone’s seem to have. Reece has just settled in and done really well.

“There’s three (out) with a virus, three have played today with a virus and two had knocks today. We could’ve been eight out. Everybody put the effort in and I think that showed in the performance. For 80-90 minutes it was a case of just seeing the game out.

“Brandon Davey, Harrison Hatfull and Tom Wray were all completely out and a lot of the boys were carrying illness and injuries but we’ve got through it.”

Margate then produced a three-man flowing move just 78 seconds later as Allen played the ball along the deck to left-winger Louie Atkins and he laid the ball off for Greenhalgh, who took a touch before curling a left-footed shot over the top of the left-hand post from 25-yards.

The game then turned into a cagey affair before Margate grabbed the lead with a sublime strike from 32-year-old Greenhalgh, scoring his 12^th goal of the season, finding the top right-hand corner.

Lovell was asked whether any of his players’ could prevent the quality strike but Haysman allowed Margate centre-half Lewis Knight to nip in front of him (after Herne Bay cleared Harry Hudson’s throw in from inside the home side’s half) before stabbing the ball first time to Greenhalgh, who cut inside Heard before unleashing a left-footed drive in off the underside of the crossbar from 30-yards.

“We had a bit of a wind and I managed to get myself in good areas and I kept getting space in the middle so there was always an opportunity for it, so I managed to work a bit of space in the middle and it was hit very well,” explained Greenhalgh.

“To be honest to Knighty. He’s been one of our players in terms of having that composure and picks passes out to players in the middle and managed to work myself a bit of space and it was one of the good hits. It’s rebounded down of the stanchion thing so it’s one that you want on a local derby on New Years Day.”

When asked whether he has set himself a goalscoring target, playing wide right in his 4-2-3-1 formation, Greenhalgh replied: “I do yes. I do set targets. It always got to be a minimum 15 for me.  It could be more; it could be less.

“I think I haven’t scored too many in the last couple of months where we’ve probably changed roles. I’ve played a bit more of a creative role. There were days like today where I felt like there could’ve been goals out there.

“We don’t want to put too much pressure on Ibrahim Olutade because I think he’s had a couple of weeks where he might not be finishing them or getting the chances so other players’ have to step in. I think we’re doing that now.”

Lovell added: “It was their first attempt on goal. It was a great strike by Ben. That’s what he does. He’s got that quality in him and it’s a great goal, in off the crossbar.

“No one’s going to save that! No one in the world is going to save that but that was against-the-run-of-play but we kept going, we kept going, as we always do.”

When asked if any of his players’ could prevent the wonder-strike, Lovell, the 64-year-old former Gillingham manager replied: “Well, it could do but at the end of the day it happens throughout the whole of the game but when someone has a shot like that, if it goes over the bar, nothing is mentioned about that.

“The fact it’s gone in the top corner and you can analyse it all you want but it’s just a quality goal.”

Margate’s quiet 19-goal striker Ibrahim Olutade swept the ball into holding midfielder Harvey Brand, who stroked a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which was comfortably saved by Herne Bay goalkeeper Joshua Bexon, the ball bouncing once and into the midriff in the centre of his goal.

Greenhalgh said: “I think we’ve had a few shots where we probably could’ve slipped passes but because of the wind people gave a bit more of a go.

“We probably liked to have been two or three-nil up at half-time. We might’ve found the second half a little bit easier, but we didn’t finish those chances.”

Lovell added: “It was (Joshua) catching pigeons wasn’t it. That was nothing that one, that was nothing. It was straight at him. It was just like a shot from 30-odd yards and it didn’t cause him any problems and as I said, the only two major shots that they had, it went in.”

Both sides then cancelled each other out for the rest of the half and both Lovell and Greenhalgh were asked their thoughts as they headed into their warm dressing rooms.

Lovell said: “Keep going, keep going! I said to them ‘we are the better side, we’re on top and if we can get the next goal, I think we’ll go on and win it’ – and we started the half like that.”

Greenhalgh added: “I think there were moments where we could’ve been better on the ball and we probably forced things where we worked out we had more space than we would’ve imagined.  We probably needed to be a little bit more composed.”

Herne Bay came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half and Hobbs was called into making a comfortable save after only 132 seconds.

Saunders and Heard (who featured behind the front two, in central midfield pulling the strings or at right-back during this game) linked up well down the left and the ball was worked to substitute left-back Frankie Smith, who had replaced centre-half Liam Friend, who had pulled his hamstring.

Frankie Smith cut inside and onto his right foot and his aimed for the bottom left-hand corner from outside the Margate box, only for Hobbs to dive low to his right to comfortably hold.

“Frankie done well to get it on his right but I think he could’ve done better with the shot. He sort of dragged it a little bit I think,” said Lovell.

“If he could’ve gone for the other corner, I think it might’ve been a better chance of scoring but that was a good opportunity for us.”

Greenhalgh replied: “We knew they send loads of runners into the box and we did lose a couple of runners in the first five minutes, so that was disappointing but we got to grips with it and it’s an away performance so we went a bit more defensive and made sure we got the three points.

“I think Reece read that well because some goalie’s think they’re going the other way and they do sneak in especially with the downwind that they had on it but he turned up again on a good occasion and made a good enough save in the moments when you need a goalie.”

Right-back Parter hit the ball into the right-channel to release Haysman, who put in a great cross towards the near post and Margate’s 37-year-old centre-back Tyrone Sterling sliced his clearance over the top of his near-post and out for the home side’s third of six corners.

Praising Sterling, Greenhalgh explained: “Tyrone’s getting a bit older. He knows his role and he loves his role. He helps massively in the changing room. He helps the young lads, so he’s massive for us (for) these days like today.

“He’s started the last two games. It’s probably not going to be a season where he plays 50 games, probably play 25-30 games but that’s probably what he needs and what we need, so he’s massive for us.”

Margate grabbed their second goal, following their only corner of the game, timed at 23:00 on the clock.

Greenhalgh’s left-footed delivery from the right came back out to him before the ball was cleared out by the Herne Bay defence and Heard was on course to break out from within his own defensive third.

However, Heard slid in and lost the ball to a composed Garande, who skipped around Heard before driving forward and cutting in and onto his left-foot to curl a sublime 25-yard drive past the flat-footed goalkeeper to find the bottom left-hand corner.

“It was a great second ball from Kai. It’s a corner we probably should’ve done more with. They struggled with it and I reckon with a little head, we score a goal, sort of what they did at our end,” said Greenhalgh, who was full of praise for the former Hythe Town man.

“Kai’s won a great second ball and it’s a brilliant finish into the wind, put it right in the far corner. We know Kai’s got that quality. He does it in training every week but it’s his first goal for us so he’s buzzing.

“He’s a bit of an outlet for us and he’s been brilliant this season, probably at the moment one of our best players this season, so he’s consistent and our system works really well for him.”

Lovell added: “We had opportunities but they’ve got their second goal, against-the-run-of-play again but it just shows our character, we  came back and made it 2-1.

“He (Heard) tried to tackle, he (Garande) cut in and had a shot and it went in right in the corner – no keeper will save that either.

“It’s two goals that you can’t argue about. If it was a boxing match, we would’ve won on points easily, but it is what it is. They’re up there because they most probably get a few breaks and we don’t but as long as we keep playing like that, we’ll be fine.”

Herne Bay pulled a goal back with 27 minutes and 4 seconds on the clock, following their fourth corner.

Frankie Smith floated a deep corner in from the right and goalkeeper Hobbs flapped at the ball and couldn’t prevent Haysman burying his header into the top left-hand corner from within a couple of yards.

“Yes, Kane’s scored again. It was what we deserved to get back into it and it spurred us on,” said Lovell.

“We took a risk again and made a couple of changes and it looked as if it was going to pay off.”

Greenhalgh added: “A really good corner. They had the wind. I think that’s one thing that has been disappointing, we didn’t have any corners in the first half to have the wind because you can really put it on the goal.

“It was a good corner to the back post. We can be slightly critical and say could we deal with it because it was a few yards out? Maybe. One of the players just (had to) defend it a bit better or Reece get a touch to it. We don’t know but at the end of the day we knew after that goal went in, we were going to be defending for our lives and we did for 20 minutes.”

Lovell’s men rallied late on and Margate were resilient as they kept men behind the ball, with Odeniran often scrapping his role on the left of a three man defence to launch deep deliveries into the Margate penalty area.

Herne Bay kept knocking on the door and they were denied the equaliser with 38 minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

Odeniran was unmarked and floated a left-footed cross from the left towards the unmarked eight-goal Rowland, who guided his header across Hobbs from 10-yards, only for the ball to bounce off the foot of the far post.

“At the end we’ve hit the post, we’ve had chances to equalise. It just didn’t go in,” agonised the Welshman.

“Kane Rowland’s missed one at the end when Michael (Salako) perhaps headed it in as well.  It’s all if’s and but’s but I always take positives out of it and there was a lot of positives in that game today.

“If it doesn’t hit the post and goes in, it hits the post and comes out.  Well, you have your breaks and hopefully we’ll have a few breaks between now and the end of the season when that will go the other way but it is what it is, you can’t change it, it’s hit he post and come out.

“I’m just happy with the performance. I’ve said to them in the (dressing room), a tremendous performance by everyone.

“We are a good squad, a good squad of people, they’re a good bunch of lads.  The ones who came on, they did well when they come on in really freezing cold conditions when they’ve been sitting there for an hour getting cold and to come on and to do what they did, I thought they were excellent.

“We’ve got a really, really good group of players and it will be nice to push on now in the New Year and try to get some decent results.”

Greenhalgh added: “That’s clearly what they wanted to do, they wanted to get it wide and cross the ball and load men into the box and we sort of lost Kane Rowland that time.

“We know what he offers in this league, someone who will put his head on it and he nearly scored, so we got away with that one a little bit but I think every other one we did deal with it quite comfortably.

“It was a very professional (performance). I think that was the plan and I think we’ve got the best away record in the league at the moment, so that’s something that we need to continue with.”

Herne Bay had plenty of bodies inside the Margate penalty area for substitute Artem Kuchkov to launch a cross into the box from 35-yards and Rowland sent his downward header over the crossbar, as Margate extended their unbeaten league record since losing 2-1 at Burgess Hill Town on Tuesday 15 October, which is their only league defeat of the campaign.

Only the five (of the 11) scheduled games that finished today were all played on plastic pitches.

Ryan Maxwell’s Sittingbourne remain at the summit with 60 points from their 23 games.

Ben Smith’s Ramsgate (59 points from 22 games), Margate (52 points from 23 games), Del Oldfield’s Beckenham Town (44 points from 23 games) and Burgess Hill Town (42 points from 19 games) are within the play-off zone on New Years Day.

Ernie Batten’s Sheppey United (39 points from 23 games), Steve King’s Deal Town (37 points from 25 games) and Danny Kedwell’s Ashford United (37 points from 24 games) make up the top eight.

The bottom eight contains  Keith Millen’s AFC Croydon Athletic (24 points from 21 games), Herne Bay (24 points from 23 games), Three Bridges (21 points from 19 games) and Lancing (18 points from 23 games).

The relegation zone contains Littlehampton Town (17 points from 23 games), Darren Anslow’s Phoenix Sports (14 points from 23 games), Nick Davis’s Hythe Town (14 points from 23 games) and Steyning Town Community (10 points from 23 games).

Both sides gruelling festive programme continues on Saturday 4 January, with Lovell taking his side to Erith Town and Margate hosting Merstham.

Both of those sides were without games today but Adam Woodward’s Dockers are in tenth-place in the table tonight, having picked up 33 points from their 21 games in their maiden campaign at this level.

Merstham, meanwhile, sit ninth, having put 34 points on the board from their 21 league outings.

When asked about the injuries sustained by Friend and Frankie Smith, Lovell replied: “They’ve both pulled up with muscle injuries, so we’ll have to see how they are but again we’ve got to deal with it. You can’t do anything about it, so we’ll dust ourselves down and pick up a team for Saturday and go to Erith and try to do something there.

“Like anything, we’ll approach it positively. We’ll pick a team, we’ll see what the conditions are like, what the pitch (at Bayliss Avenue) is like, pick a team on that and hopefully put a team out there, like all they’ve done, all the times, give their best and hopefully get a result.

“We’re trying our best behind the scenes to make things happen. I think (our supporters’) can see from our performances that we haven’t given up a fight
 to move up that league and we’ll continue to do that, but the supporters have been tremendous. 

“They understand the situation here at the club. It’s a good foundation now going forward with the new people involved and hopefully we can push it on into the New Year and settle ourselves further up the league and see where it takes us at the end.”

Greenhalgh added: “We’ve got three home games from now so we want to get points from them as well.

“We have lost one and we shouldn’t have lost it but it’s a brilliant record, it’s 14 games unbeaten and that’s all we can ask for.

“I think (our league position) is absolutely brilliant. More, not as much, the league position, I can’t believe we’ve got 52 points after 23 games and we’re sitting third and we’re sitting so far off top, so it’s not something that we can do much better.

“We’ve got to focus on us. We’re a team that haven’t been in the play-offs for years, has struggled in the last two years, so to have 52 already, I know it’s a different division but halfway through the season, is absolutely brilliant!

“We have to focus on us and not look above and not look below, just keep doing what we’re doing.”

Greenhalgh was critical of the Isthmian League for giving part-time club’s in this division FOUR GAMES IN ONLY NINE DAYS between Boxing Day and this coming Saturday.

“I’m disappointed in a way, too many games. I like Astro pitches; we have them at Margate but sometimes it kills you because your games are always on.  We’ve actually played today and we’re all going to be struggling, not struggling, a little bit more leggy than Merstham are because they play on a grass pitch and they’ve had their game called off, so I’m not sure what can be done about that. But I think the schedule is too much over Christmas.

“I mean I can’t complain because it’s seven points from three games in this difficult busy period so it’s worked for us but it’s just not fair on the players.

“Even I had to rest myself (for Saturday’s 2-0 win at East Grinstead after I played in our 2-2 home draw with Ramsgate on Boxing Day), to save myself for this game, which I never do. I never miss games of football and luckily the game worked out really well at East Grinstead but it’s just a little bit too much for us and let’s hope we can do a job on Saturday and get it done.”

With Sittingbourne and Ramsgate fighting tooth and nail for the title, the Margate manager was asked whether his side are in the title race too – or settling for a play-off place.

“I think still focus on us. The original plan was play-offs and we’re at the moment comfortably in it but I think just keep focusing game by game. It’s been working well. It’s got us back towards the right end of the table.

“There were times at the start of the year we had too many draws but I just focus on what we do and keep kicking on from there and then we can start looking at what position you’re going to finish probably sort of March time and make that decision then.”

Herne Bay: Joshua Bexon, Jack Parter, Monty Saunders (Joshua Reid 60), Liam Friend (Frankie Smith 36 Lauric Diakiesse 90)), Joel-Michael Odeniran, Daniel Carrington, Ethan Smith (Artem Kuchkov 61), Freddie Oliver (Kane Rowland 70), Michael Salako, Kane Haysman, Scott Heard.

Goal:  Kane Haysman 73

Booked: Jack Parter 51, Michael Salako 65

Margate: Reece Hobbs, Harry Hudson, Kai Garande, Harvey Brand, Lewis Knight, Tyrone Sterling, Louie Atkins (Enoch Muwonge 77), Gabriel Riberio-Duo, Ibrahim Olutade, Ben Allen (Jordan Ababio 65), Ben Greenhalgh.
Subs: Loui Hoxma, Jack Peters

Goals: Ben Greenhalgh 26, Kai Garande 69

Booked: Tyrone Sterling 52

Attendance: 652
Referee: Mr Joe Dann-Pye
Assistants: Mr Mitchell Jukes & Mr Piotr Zachwieja