Margate 1 – 0 Wealdstone
Margate
1 - 0
WealdstoneWealdstone lost 1-0 in a game they deserved at least a point, the decisive goal the result of a referee’s decision that even the home fans questioned.
Margate had the better of the opening exchanges and could have taken the lead as early as the second minute when a deflected shot hot the Stones woodwork, the rebound headed goalward by Braithwaite, though Rusty Ling made a good save at his feet. Margate though did continue to have the better of the possession through the first half hour as Stones were forced backwards, but you could see why the home side hadn’t scored many goals this season as they failed to trouble the stones in the last third.
Stones, when they did gain possession found a home side that defended deep and in numbers and they were limited to efforts from some distance from Jolly, Beckford and Harris but these too were comfortably saved by the impressive Mitten in the home goal.
On 35 minutes Stones had to re-shuffle when Tucker left the field injured, Harris dropping back from an unusual midfield role to cover while Josh Cooper came into the match and Stones responded by pushing forward with more intent, though no real chances were created by either side up to half time.
The second half saw Stones on top for long periods in a reversal of the first period, tho8ugh chances were limited, Jolly and Beckford again seeing early efforts blocked and saved, while the home side too struggled to create more than a hopeful effort – one flick on beating the on rushing Ling but also the post was the closest effort for some time.
As Stones continued to press, a snap shot from Beckford on the hour was well saved and he and Jolly dcreated an excellent opening for Cooper though Josh’s effort from six yards was over the bar.
As the half continued the chances became less until the 80th minute when, as he always seems to when officiating a Wealdstone match – Mr W Atkin proceeded to make himself the talking point of the afternoon.
Stones had pressed forward and the move broken down and a long ball was hit upfield by the Margate defence. Ling came running beyond the edge of his area as Amoako sprinted on to try and catch the through ball. The ball bounced higher than Rusty Ling – at 6’4″ – as he leant into head clear, where he was faced by the boot of Amoako at face height. Ling pulled back and Amoako connected with the ball doing enough to see it run into the net despite the despairing lunge of Harris who tried to clear. Fans and players from both sides seemed to expect a free kick to be given, the Stones players surrounding the referee who waved them away while booking two.
He went to his Assistant who had been some fifty yards across the pitch, and as the home announcer announced the goal scorer, the Referee awarded the goal. He then proceeded toward Gordon Bartlett who had complained at the decision and sent him off for the first time as a player or official in over 25 years!
It signalled a mad ten minutes on the field when the whistle seemed to blow for any and every challenge as the Referee seemed unable to cope with the pressure he had put himself under, and it can only be counted as fortunate that he only booked two more players whereas on previous performance any number of cautions could have been issued.
Despite Stones efforts they could not get the equaliser they deserved and Margate took all three points, the Referee insisting on a stewards escort from the pitch and later from the dressing room – a quite surreal picture in an almost empty ground.
Wealdstones: Rusty Ling, Dean Harding (s70 Louis Lancaster), Carl Ashton (s87 Lee Holland), Ross White, Dave Ryan, Andy Keepence, Robin Tucker (s35 Josh Cooper), Ryan Harris, Jermaine Beckford, Richard Jolly, Phil Turner, Subs not used: Lee Chappel, Neil McDonald