Goalkeeper Nikki Bull was the hero as he rescued a point for Margate against ten man Tonbridge Angels on Saturday.

Tonbridge got a well deserved point against league leaders Margate & nearly got the three points as Gate got their equaliser in the 4^th minute of added on time & this was also playing with ten men for 91 minutes as Laurence Ball was sent off on the 3^rd minute.

The game was only three minutes old when Luke Moore played Jamie Taylor in & as he raced on towards goal Laurence Ball just touched him & he fell down which saw the referee Paul Yates bring out the red card.

The contentious issue surrounding this incident was that Jamie Taylor looked off side & also that he slipped but Margate were not going to argue with the decision, two minutes elapsed before Sam Rents took the free kick which Ton Hadler pushed it away & then cleared.

Tonbridge now had an uphill battle as they had found scoring hard to do & now playing with only ten men. It was no surprise that Margate dominated possession & in the 16^th minute Lewis Taylor marauding down the right crossed into the area where Ryan Moss was & his header from 10 yards looped over Hadler.

At this junction of the game Margate dominated & in the 28^th minute Tamberson Eyoung on the right cut inside & let fly from 20 yards but just went over the bar.

In the 35^th minute another chance came when Jamie Taylor on the edge of the area put Charlie Allen in but his shot from an acute angle went wide.  Tonbridge’s first chance of the game came in the 40^th minute when Lee Carey’s free kick into the area found Joe Taylor Tonbridge’s recent signing but his header under pressure went over the bar.

As half time was approaching & against the run of play Tonbridge equalised when Dee Okojie 20 yards out came inside from the right wing & his delicate chip beat Nikki Bull who was only 6 yards off his line.

The second half started with Margate, probably with Terry Brown’s team talk still ringing in their ears doing the pressing & in the 49^th minute a near post corner was flicked on by Allen but Hadler saved it, then a minute later Lewis Taylor passed to Jamie Taylor whose volleyed shot from 20 yards went just over the bar.

In the 54^th minute Allen’s cross from the left was headed goal wards by Moss but Hadler saved. Three minutes later Tom Phipp found himself 25 yards out & his shot was pushed around the post by Hadler.

This seemed to be the moment that Tonbridge suddenly believed they could get something out the game as on the hour Marvin Williams 20 yards out saw his snap shot saved by Bull.

In the 66^th minute Moss on the counter attack ran from just inside his half, ran into the area but shot into the side netting. Another chance came Gate’s way when in the 70^th minute Allen from halfway ran into the area but under pressure shot wide & then in the very next minute Tonbridge went in front when Tommy Whitnell in his own half released Williams who ran from the halfway leaving two defenders on his into the area but Lewis Taylor came across & fouled him & gave away a penalty, up stepped Carey who blasted it into the net, game on.

Tonbridge especially Williams were causing no end of problems for the Gates defence, with time running out Margate threw everything at Tonbridge as in the 85^th minute a Rents cross into the area was headed wide by Luke Williams, then in the 89^th minute a cross to the far post saw Moss rise & his goal bound header superbly saved by Hadler.

As the seconds ticked away & Margate had their last chance to snatch a draw when another corner into the area was half cleared to Bull 10 yards out & he smashed it into back of the net.

Tonbridge were gutted as with ten men they battled & probably deserved the 3 points whilst Margate had only themselves to blame as some of the players seemed to be a bit complacent or lacked desire so to snatch a point was heaven to them even though they had the numerical advantage for most the game.

 

TONBRIDGE:

1. HADLER 2.  J.FOWKES   3. J.PARTER   4. L.CAREY  5. J.SOBERS (21)  6. L.BALL  7. R.GREENIDGE (10) 8. T.PARKINSON 9. M.WILLIAMS (81) 10. T.WHITNELL   11. D.OKOJEI

SUBS USED: 17. J.TAYLOR (10, DEBUT )  12. C.SLOCOMBE  14. F.TAVRES (81)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. G.QUINTYNE  16. K.MERSON

SENT OFF:  6. L.BALL  (3)

 

MARGATE:

1. BULL  2. T.EYOUNG (66)  3.S.RENTS  4. C.ALLEN  5. J.STUART  6. C.WASSMER  7. LEWIS TAYLOR  8. T.PHIPP (72) 9. R.MOSS 10. JAMIE TAYLOR (82) 11. L.MOORE

SUBS USED: 16. Z.ATTWOOD (66) 15. K.WILLS (72)  17. L.WILLIAMS (82)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. A.RIVIERE  14. J.BENNETT

BOOKING: 2. T.EYOUNG (61)  5. J.STUART (63)  7. L.TAYLOR (71)

 

REFEREE:  Mr P.YATES

ASSISTANTS: Mr J.RUDD & Mr A.LUKAUSKIS

ATTENDANCE: 613