MARGATE 0 HORNCHURCH 2
The rain and cloud disappeared as we approached Margate and we were left with a bright sunny day – and a force twelve gale. The beach looked in good condition, plenty of sand, and only a few puddles – the tide was out – and the pitch look green and lush. A crowd of 501 were present, with 150 from Hornchurch. Several changes from Tuesday, with Donny Barnard not available and some long term injuries. Mark Janney and Simon Parker were back in the starting line up, Ross Wall led was at centre forward, and Joe Bouchard was called into the squad for the first time.

Margate kicked with the gale at their backs in the first half, towards the tree-lined Dreamland end of the ground, and predictably most of the play was at that end. Margate sent over a free kick in the first minute which Goodfellow headed away. Urchins took time to settle into the face of the gale, though they looked dangerous in their first sortie upfield, when Billy Coyne’s long throw found Lee Hodges and only a last ditch tackle by Hickman prevented the shot. Wall, Parker and Janney combined well to work the ball up the right side and from Janney’s centre Gregory played the ball out for a corner, which Hodges sent over, and Chambers-Stevens punched away. Purdie played it back to Tomlinson and Maskell cleared. Margate, despite having the advantage of the gale, rarely threatened and looked vulnerable at the back, and when Janney intercepted a clearance he quickly played the ball along to Ross Wall, who touched on to Simon Parker on the right, and Simon’s excellent cross was met by Frankie Curley, whose header was just over the bar.

Such was the gale that the trees behind the goal were bent almost double, and a flock of penguins were blown over the ground. Margate continued to have a territorial advantage, and Hickman sent over a long cross which found Coleman, who looked at least ten yards offside but no flag and he ran on and Brightly came out to clear. A long throw by Stubbs found Morris on the left and his run and cross reached Stubbs, who had quickly moved into the middle and his shot was deflected for a corner by Purdie. Wilson took the corner, Goodfellow headed out, and Stubbs hit the rebound wide of the goal. Another corner, again by Wilson, came to nothing, as Curley cleared, and the ball was played towards the other end where Billy Coyne slotted it through to Parker, who won a corner. Hodges sent the ball over and Maskell headed away. Styles to Hodges, and on to Janney, who opened up the right side and crossed, for Frank Curley, whose header landed on the roof of the net.

Shortly before half time, Peters was somewhat harshly booked after a challenge on Styles. A last attempt to take advantage of the gale, and Margate won a corner, with Gregory the taker, which was cleared by Purdie, and the quote of the match then came from the announcer – ‘I think the referee has indicated two minutes’ – yes, the referee had stuck up two fingers.

Urchins had the gale in their backs in the second half and kicked towards the Dreamland end of the ground, and they gave the home side very much of a roller coaster ride. A Hodges free kick found Parker, who rounded three defenders and then saw his low cross roll across the goalmouth with no one close enough to touch home, despite Wall’s efforts to reach the ball. Urchins took the lead when Lee Hodges sent over a 40 yard free kick from the right, and MARK GOODFELLOW headed home, for Urchins first goal in 376 minutes of football, or 404 minutes if you add on the accumulated stoppage time, to send the 150 away following wild with delight. A Hodges corner was cleared, and a Hodges free kick saw a penalty appeal for hands rejected. Wilson made a good run for Margate, and found Power, whose hard shot was charged down by Purdie. Kris Lee came on for Simon Parker, and then Billy Coyne raced from the right back to the left back position to intercept a Power pass which would have otherwise given Wilson a clear run at goal. A Hodges free kick was held by Chamber-Stevens and at the other end a Wilson corner found Stubbs, whose cross found Wilson, who had ran forward into a shooting position, and Brightly turned the ball out for a corner, which Wilson took and Frankie Curley was right on the line to clear from the resultant header. Ross Wall made an excellent run and appeared to be tripped, but the referee was in no mood to award a penalty to the away team, though he was quite happy to book four of the home team, for offences which appeared trivial. Ross Wall again and Chambers-Stevens produced an excellent save to keep the ball out.

And then Urchins went further ahead, and what a goal. Billy Coyne quickly ran to pick up the ball when it went out, and casually tossed it fully 40 yards into the goalmouth, where KRIS LEE backheaded the ball into the net, to send 200 Urchins wild with delight, and the home hopes rapidly vanished into dreamland. The trees behind the goal bowed their branches in acknowledgement. Dean Green on for Hodges, and his first touch won a corner. Janney floated the ball over and Green’s header was touched over for a corner, which Tomlinson took and Smith cleared. Coyne, via Styles, to Green, and another corner. Janney took the kick, and Tomlinson hit a fierce drive which Chambers-Stevens saved in spectacular style. Back came Margate, Peters made a good run on the right and hit his shot wide of the post, and a Gregory corner was headed wide by Smith.

A Wilson corner found Maskell whose header hit the side netting. Janney then surged down the middle, and split the right side open with a pinpoint pass to Green, who centred for Ross Wall, whose shot hit the side netting. Wilson’s corner was cleared at the other end, and a good run by Pratt saw Curley head away the dangerous centre, but only as far as Hickman, who crashed his shot out of the ground, narrowly missing a passing penguin. A sensational 70 yard clearance by John Purdie had Chambers-Stevens back peddling to grasp the ball under the bar, and the referee signalled four minutes stoppages. In the six minutes it took to play the four minutes, Margate enjoyed their best spell of the match, forcing two corners, and pressing forward en masse, but Urchins held out comfortably to take the points, and they were loudly applauded off by their 250 ecstatic following.

And so it was back to the sea front, where virtually everything was now closed, or in some cases boarded up, the tide was now in, the beach still looked in pristine condition, which is more than could be said for the roller coaster at Dreamland.