Non-League and Academy football writer

I was at Hartsdown Park on Saturday afternoon, to watch Isthmian League Premier Division sides Margate and Bognor Regis Town face each other in a league fixture. Margate were in 18th place in the league, ahead of the game on Saturday, with the away side (Bognor Regis) starting the game in eighth place. This was an important game for both sides in their respective positions in the league standings, but it was the visiting team, Bognor Regis Town, who got all three points on Saturday. During the early stages of the game and after Bognor Regis Town player Ben Anderson had a free-kick effort saved, the away side came close to taking the lead. With Jasper Mather putting an effort just wide from inside the Margate penalty area, following Lucas Pattenden’s low cross into the box. After Ben Anderson had received a pass inside the Margate box, the Bognor Regis Town midfielder had a good effort saved by Margate goalkeeper Harry Seaden. Following a Margate corner-kick, Ryan Lowe found Francis Mampolo inside the Bognor Regis Town penalty area, however, his volleyed effort was saved by goalkeeper Ryan Hall.

There was a good pace to the game during the first half, and the game was beginning to become a much more even contest. Jasper Mather had a free-kick effort from the edge of the Margate penalty area, saved by Harry Seaden, before at the opposite end of the pitch, Rohdell Gordon hit an effort over the Bognor Regis Town goal, from the edge of their box. Margate would finish the first half of the game strongly. A good, long throw-in into the visitors’ penalty area, ended up falling for centre-forward Steve Cawley, but his effort from close range was blocked by a defender. Francis Mampolo then volleyed a low effort wide of the Bognor Regis Town goal shortly afterwards, from inside their penalty area. Bognor Regis Town started the second half well however, and after Dan Smith had an effort well saved by Harry Seaden on the edge of the Margate box, the ball came to Ben Anderson on the follow-up. Anderson’s curling effort on goal was well saved by Harry Seaden, who continued to impress. Dan Gifford then headed wide from a cross into the Margate box, for the away side.

After Margate had given the ball away on the edge of their penalty area on 64 minutes, Bognor Regis Town player Tommy Lee-Higgs picked up the ball, before powerfully finding the bottom right corner of the Margate goal, to give the away side the lead. Less than ten minutes later, a pass in behind the Margate defence to Lucas Pattenden on the right flank resulted in the Bognor Regis Town player crossing for Dan Gifford to tap the ball home at the back post, to double Bognor Regis Town’s lead. Jasper Mather then had an effort from inside the Margate box saved by Harry Seaden, before Mark Stimson’s Margate side had created a really good chance to get back into the game. After Steve Cawley had found Vinnie Bowman with a lofted pass into the away side’s penalty area, Bowman took the ball around the goalkeeper Ryan Hall, but his resulting effort went just wide of the goal. It seemed to be a defining moment in the game. Bognor Regis Town did have one more goalscoring chance before the end of the match. A long diagonal pass to Jasper Mather on the right side of the Margate box, resulted in him taking the ball forward with his stride, but his low effort was well saved by Harry Seaden.

This was a game in which I thought that Bognor Regis Town deserved to win for their second half performance, but it was a close contest for much of the game, and I do think that Margate will return to winning ways soon. Technically gifted Bognor Regis Town youngster Dan Gifford was my player of the match.