Margate 2 Tonbridge 2

Match 82/14/1191 - Monday 6th April 2015 - Ryman Premier

Margate (1) 2 Taylor 45, Moss 50
Tonbridge (1) 2 Elder 5, Pinnock 57
Att. 747

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 108/6,024

Match Report

Margate on a Bank Holiday, a ride on the Big Dipper, fish and chips, an ice cream and a paddle, none of which readily apply to this Easter Monday fixture, although it could be said that Tonbridge’s season to date has a resonance with the Dipper.

Saturday’s win for Tonbridge over AFC Hornchurch had, at least in my mind, taken away any pressure for the trip to Margate. In the equation that is the number of points required to avoid relegation and the whereabouts of those points, Margate was not on many people’s radar for any reward.

But should we have known better? Already this season, Tonbridge have taken four points from the other big spenders, Maidstone United and victory in the reverse fixture at Longmead against Margate was only denied by a goal at the death from goalkeeper, Nikki Bull. Hendon, who at present divide M&M, took a point at Longmead and won at Earlsmead, courtesy of a goalkeeping error, when Tonbridge fully deserved something out of the game. So was it such a lost cause?

After seemingly months of cold weather, it was a toss-up whether to take the heavy coat out of the boot of the car or a lighter version. In the end, caution won and the heavy coat was donned; when the sun shone it was too hot, but when the sun disappeared behind the clouds it was the correct choice. It was also strange to see a very firm pitch that must dry very quickly with the sea breezes.

The rumoured amount of money that Bob Laslett has sunk into Margate Football Club varies wildly, but, it has to be said, that at present very little of this investment has been sunk into facilities at Hartsdown Park. It seems the club has been stuck in a time warp for the last 15 years when plans for a new stadium coupled with a hotel complex were first presented. In 2003, with Margate having left the site to groundshare, Hartsdown Park was demolished, before returning in 2005 with the Portakabins that occupy one side of the pitch gracing it ever since. With the uncovered temporary seating at the Tivoli Park end and the pair of stands straddling the half-way line, there is more than enough seating to satisfy the regulations, but as a stadium fit for purpose in Conference South it barely fits that status.

Investment though has been made in the team and Laslett must surely be disappointed that Terry Brown hasn’t been able to steer Margate into a position closer to Maidstone than they currently occupy.

Tonbridge started the game on the front foot and were rewarded with an early goal. A shot from Charlie Webster was only parried by Bull into the path of Nathan Elder who scored with a stooping header. The visitors went on to dominate the opening half-hour with the Angels’ keeper, Billy Bishop untested. Mitchell Pinnock fired narrowly wide and a Dee Okojie shot was deflected wide of the post with Bull a helpless bystander.

Having failed to increase their advantage, Tonbridge needed to get to the break with their lead intact but, with a couple of minutes remaining, Tom Parkinson conceded a disputed free kick 20 yards from goal. Sam Rents fired in the kick that Bishop fumbled and former Tonbridge favourite, Lewis Taylor was on hand to tap the ball home from close range.

The old flea in the ear trick from Brown fired up the hosts early in the second half. Freddie Ladapo struck the inside of a post from distance before a cross from the bye-line by Tambeson Eyong was converted at the far post by Ryan Moss after 52 minutes.

Any thoughts that Tonbridge were going fold were quickly dispelled when Pinnock let fly with a shot from 25 yards that flew into the top corner with Bull grasping fresh air. It was a goal to grace a weekend that had seen stunners in the Premiership from Charlie Adam, Wayne Rooney and Bobby Zamora.

With their tails up, the visitors might well have gone on to win the game. Elder was thwarted twice in quick succession by Bull and Tommy Whitnell volleyed over. But the chance of the match came with five minutes remaining, Marvin Williams crossed from the right to an unmarked Elder but the big striker’s effort was smothered by Bull, who was duly made Margate’s man of the match.

Tonbridge had to settle for an, albeit unexpected, point when all three might not have been undeserved in their quest to avoid the drop. Meanwhile at the other end of the table, Hendon are ominously eyeing the top spot which would mean that one, or both, of Kent’s big spenders are going to fall foul of the play-offs.