Margate 3 Stafford Rangers 1
Dr Martens League Premier Division
At: Hartsdowne Park
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Programme: £1-50 (44 pages)
Attendance: 345
Weather: rain
Margate went top of the Dr Martens League Premier Division with a 3-1 win over Stafford Rangers.
In difficult wet and windy conditions on the Kent coast, Margate went ahead in the 11th minute. Munday headed home after Paul Hayward, deputising for the injured Richard Williams, failed to gather a corner on the edge of his six-yard box. The midfielder added a second three minutes before the break, reacting to drive home a loose ball after Hayward blocked a Phil Collins header on the line. Stafford, playing with the strong wind and rain, were restricted to a couple of long range shots easily dealt with by home keeper Lee Turner.
The rain eased at half-time to the benefit of Stafford who soon got back into the game with more positive play. In the 50th minute Joe O’Connor intercepted a poor clearance by Turner, ran towards goal and after drawing the keeper, squared the ball to Paul Kiely to tap-in. Just after the hour mark with Margate pressing for a third, Hayward kept Stafford in contention with two fine saves. First he dived low to his left to deflect a shot by Tako for a corner and then he leapt in the air to turn over a rising drive from Jay Saunders.
A minute from time Margate made sure of the three points. Stuart Ryder brought down Saunders inside the area and Eliot Martin converted the resultant penalty.
Margate (blue/blue/blue): 1. Lee Turner, 2. Graham Porter, 3. Paul Lamb, 4. Bill Edwards, 5. Lee Williams, 6. Iain O’Connell, 7. Mark Munday, 8. Eloit Martin, 9. Mo Tako, 10. Phil Collins, 11. Jay Saunders. Subs: 12. Leon Braithwaite (for Tako, 75), 14. Gary Blackford (not used), 15. Dean Yorath (not used).
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): 1. Paul Hayward, 2. Leigh Everritt, 3. Steve Jones, 4. Darren Simkin, 5. Chris Brindley, 6. Stuart Ryder, 7. Darren Boughey, 8. Craig Lovatt, 9. Joe O’Connor, 10. Paul Kiely, 11. Scott Dundas. Subs: 12. Tony Eccleston (for Boughey, 78), 14. Darren Middleton (not used), 15. Darren Shaw (not used).
Referee: Mr S Peeke (Northfleet).
Goals:
1-0 Mark Munday (11)
2-0 Mark Munday (43)
2-1 Paul Kiely (50)
3-1 Eliot Martin (90 pen)
