Margate’s 100% record was maintained after they made it two wins out of two on Wednesday night at Aveley’s Mill Field ground beating hosts Grays Athletic 2-0 with Charlie Allen and Sam Rents on the score sheet.

In a lacklustre first half the impressive Allen for Margate made the difference. His own personal endeavour and drive took Margate forward on various occasions and was rightly rewarded with a goal fit to grace the FA Premier League’s ‘Goal of the Month’ competition – Taking the ball on 30yds from goal he saw his well struck half volley loop over Grays’ ‘keeper Conor Gough and settle in the back of the net.

With ten minutes of the first half remaining the home side reminded Margate their one-goal lead may not be enough when Joe Benjamin took on the ball on the left side of the penalty area but saw his shot go narrowly wide

Moments later the visitors looked to extend their lead as Rents, on the left edge of the penalty area, had his low goal-bound shot saved by ‘keeper Gough.

In the final moments of the opening half Luke Moore picked up a loose ball 30yds out, laying it off to Allen but he couldn’t test Gough as his shot went harmlessly over the crossbar.

Benjamin again reminded the visitors of their slender lead turning his man on the right edge of the box but his cross-come-shot was well claimed by Nikki Bull in the Margate goal.

In first half injury time goalscorer Allen then saw a shot off on the left edge of the penalty area but his curling effort was always going away from goal.

The hosts began the second half the better with Joao Carlos finding space to shoot at goal but his left-footed effort was always curling wide.

The busy Luke Moore worked well down Margate’s right hand side and in reaching the by-line pulled the ball back to Ryan Moss, after a clever dummy by Kane Wills, only scuff his effort on goal giving Gough an easy save.

Grays’ continued to press and find the elusive equaliser and within the space of two minutes had Margate on the ropes – Firstly a well taken inswinging free kick on the left side of the penalty area went harmlessly wide with neither attackers or defenders gambled on it – Benjamin put a low cross into the penalty area along the six-yard line but Bull claimed it well – then ‘keeper Bull caused concern miscuing a back-pass high into the air and only as far the edge of his own penalty area but Jamie Stuart showed good awareness to clear any potential danger

Benjamin continued to trouble the Margate back line with a low cross on the right side but it easily gathered by Bull. Benjamin created another opportunity on goal but despite turning his marker, dragged his shot wide of Bull’s left hand post.

Despite the pressure, the visitors got the breakthrough and the decisive second goal of the game to extend their lead – With substitute Zac Attwood fouled on the right corner of the hosts’ penalty area, Rents curled the free kick low with his left foot into Gough’s bottom right hand corner – The ‘keeper may have been unsighted.

Determined to get back into the game, the hosts’ continued to press and Carlos was unlucky not to get on the end of an inviting cross by Benjamin from a move he had started.

However, it was Margate who managed to see out the game for victory and kept a second clean sheet in succession.

 

Grays Athletic: Gough, Everett, Best, Wilson (Marfo, 85), Parry, Leader, Bryan (Glowacki, 78), Beaney, Lapapa, Benjamin (Griffiths, 72), Carlos

Subs Not Used: Yala, T. Williams

Margate: Bull, Riviere (Phipp, 26), Rents, Allen, Stuart, Johnson, Taylor, Wills, Moss, Prior (Attwood, 60), Moore (L. Williams, 75)

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Beadle

Goals: 14 (Allen), 68 (Rents)

Att; 242