Football Review – A Non-League Football Review

Margate came back from 2-0 down to seal a huge three points away to Potters Bar Town on Thursday.

The Scholars welcomed Margate to Coles Park, the home of Haringey Borough, but made themselves feel at home as they found themselves 2-0 up. The first goal had come in the 28th minute when Darnell Goather-Braithwaite struck a shot towards goal with Lateef Adaja getting a decisive touch to send it beyond the keeper.

The hosts continued to dominate and everything seemed to be going through Goather-Braithwaite. The forward saw an effort blocked before a low free-kick was driven straight into the hands of the keeper. He then broke down the pitch and squared the ball to Prospect Keto, but the latters effort saw his effort blocked. Ben Greenhalgh was at the centre of things for Margate, but he couldn’t get anyone on the end of his dangerous free-kicks as each one passed by before he tried an ambitious effort from distance, but it was just wide of the post.

The second half made Potters Bar’s intentions clear: full attack! An early cross into Ore Bello was plucked out of the air by Harry Seaden before Bello saw another effort parried by the keeper. The pressure from the Scholars continued for ten minutes of the second half before Margate could finally have a break from defending, but after a corner was cleared off the line, the Margate players had shouts of the ball crossing the line ignored by the referee.

Potters Bar’s second goal came in the 65th minute. A sleeping defence was unaware of Ore Bello, who simply ran through and slotted the ball beyond a helpless Seaden. Almost immediately, Bello had looked to add a third when he squared the ball to Adaja, but the effort was well saved.

Despite being under pressure for the majority of the game, the 75th minute marked a change in the flow of the game. A shot fired over the bar was followed by another shot that was struck well, but the keeper equal to. The away side were awarded a penalty in the 78th minute and Steve Cawley made no mistake from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way. A couple of minutes later, Margate had a second. Cawley turning provider as he squared the ball to Destiny Oladipo, who touched the ball round the defender and fired home.

Potters Bar looked to bring it forward, but the Gate had their tails up as another shot was fired over. The turnaround was complete with a couple of minutes remaining: Ben Greenhalgh added their third, with the Margate player lifting the ball over the stranded keeper.

The hosts sought to salvage a draw in a added time but the closest they came to netting a third themselves was a shot at goal that was held comfortably by the keeper before a through ball was too heavy for the forward and rolled straight through to Seaden. To the delight of the Margate supporters and players, they were able to hold to claim the vital three points.