Margate 2 Hendon 3
Margate are sliding deeper into relegation trouble and this gutting defeat at home to Hendon will have hurt as much as any result since Mark Butler’s arrival in October.
The Blues led 2-0 at half-time but conspired to give away three goals and three points as Hendon opened up a four-point gap between the sides, leaving Gate two from safety.
With Matt Reed injured, Butler handed a debut to Luke Garrard, having signed the goalkeeper from Kingstonian, while Sam Jones took his place on the bench following his arrival from local rivals Ramsgate.
The hosts were afforded the perfect start in the fifth minute when Hendon keeper James Reading could only palm the ball out as far as Lloyd Blackman, who needed no second invitation to open the scoring.
It was 2-0 midway through the first-half when a terrific team move involving seven Margate players culminated with Blackman back-heeling the ball to Dan Stubbs, who finished calmly.
Things could have got even better 10 minutes before the break when Wayne Wilson curled a free-kick towards the top corner, only for Reading to leap and claw the ball behind.
However, rather than pressing home their advantage after the interval, Margate began to drop deep and invite the visitors onto them. Garrard was forced into a smart save and from the resulting corner, Aaron Lacy handled and was shown a straight red card.
Jamie Busby stepped up to convert the spot-kick and nerves suddenly began to jangle around Hartsdown Park, with Gate fans having seen their side win only once at home since August.
After Sam Cliff had fired an effort narrowly wide, the visitors grew in confidence and the equaliser arrived with 15 minutes remaining.
Blues failed to deal with a Hendon corner and James Bent was on hand to level the scores. Butler threw on Jones and Antonio Gonnella in an effort to galvanise his side but the tide had firmly turned and the Hendon comeback was completed in the 88th minute.
More poor Margate defending let in substitute Peter Dean and the ball was poked past Garrard from close range to seal the win.
Margate are in action tomorrow (Tuesday) night as they entertained Wealdstone at Hartsdown Park.
POSTED: 08/02/2010 16:29:36
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