The First Qualifying Round ties of the Isuzu FA Trophy were contested last Saturday, 7th September and your Roving Team chose the match at Rectory Meadow for the game between Hanworth Villa and Margate.   

Unfortunately, on this occasion, we didn’t pick a very good time to visit the Villains. We are always made very welcome at The Ranch and last Saturday was no exception. However, the events on the pitch and the final score were a disappointment for all of us.  

Villa had been involved in an epic home FA Cup match with Walton & Hersham, which was drawn 3-3, on the Friday of the previous week. The replay on the Tuesday, 4 days before this match, had gone to extra time and had been lost 4-2, amid some controversy. Because of the demands of these games and the upcoming challenging league programme, which started with a visit to Hayes and Yeading United on the following Tuesday, several first-choice players were rested. The young side that started the game contained only five of the starting eleven for the previous game.

This was the first ever meeting between the two clubs, both of which currently compete at Step 4 of the Non-League Pyramid, in the Isthmian League. Margate are members of the South East Division and Hanworth Villa play in the South Central Division.

This was Margate’s second trip of the week to Middlesex, as on the previous Tuesday they had visited the SkyEx Community Stadium to eliminated Hayes & Yeading United from the FA Cup in a replay.

Heavy rain during the preceding two days, had flooded the pitch. However, thanks to the strenuous efforts of Dave Brown, his tractor and the ground-staff, an excellent playing surface was produced. Margate took full advantage of it by producing good passing football and dominating the game throughout. They only led by a single goal at the interval but really went to town in the second half to run out 5-0 winners. Their score would have been more but for several great saves by debutant goalkeeper, Conrad Knight.

The first shot of the match came in the 3rd minute from Margate’s Ibrahim Olutade, who cleared the bar.

Then Villa wing back Ali Mansaray’s cross, from wide on the right, was taken high up by Margate keeper, Tom Wray.   

Harrison Hatfull’s ball from wide into the home penalty area found Ibrahim, who got his foot to it but couldn’t bring it under control.

Margate player-manager Ben Greenhaigh put his side ahead in the 13th minute, with a cross shot from the edge of the penalty area.

A good Villa movement involving Aston Nunn and Joshua Millo set up Dylan Randall, whose shot was stopped by Tom Wray.   

Villa’s Rayan Djouadj was booked for a foul on the edge of the home box. Ben Greenhaigh took the freekick, which was deflected for a corner. Conrad Knight pushed the kick out and then caught a rebound.

Margate continued to press and Ben Greenhaigh’s shot was deflected for a corner. Conrad Knight did well to reach Ibrahim Olutade’s high cross and pushed the ball onto his crossbar, which it ran along before bouncing for a corner.

Conrad then saved low down from Lukas Franzen-Jones.

A trip just outside the area earned Villa’s Quincy Patterson a yellow card. The resulting freekick was charged down. The ball was netted in the subsequent melee but the score was disallowed for offside.

Ben Greenhaigh broke through the middle into the box but Conrad Knight saved his shot high up.

Conrad then leapt to save Ben’s long range shot from the right.

Half time score: Hanworth Villa 0   Margate 1

Conrad saved well at close range from Fyn Rutherford, who had been introduced as a substitute immediately after the interval.

Villa striker, Dylan Randall couldn’t connect with Rayan Djouadj’s ball into the visitors’ box.  

Tom Wray saved Sam Mead’s low drive, following good work by Quincy Patterson, Liam O’Neill and Ali Mansaray. This was undoubtedly Villa’s best move so far.

Ben Greenhaigh set up Ibrahim Olutade, whose shot on the turn passed just over the angle of bar and post.

Quincy Patterson was the victim of a sandwich by two opponents, which wasn’t penalised. The ball was moved upfield on the left and played to Ben Greenhaigh, who burst into the penalty area, where he was tripped. Ibrahim hit the resultant penalty high into the corner of the net, to make the score 2-0. The time of this goal was 63 minutes.

The visitors had further scoring chances. Ben Greenhaigh shot too high from 25 yards. Brandon Davey’s header into the goal area was hacked away. Ibrahim Olutade netted but was offside. Kai Garande’s cross was headed for a corner.

Ben Greenhaigh smashed the ball into the top of the net for Margate’s third goal, in the 77th minute.

Quincy Patterson found Dylan Randall with a good pass, but the latter’s shot was off target. 

Jordon Ababio scored Margate’s 4th goal with a tremendous drive in the 82nd minute.

Some good inter-passing set up Margate’s Tyrone Sterling but his shot was narrowly wide.

In the 89th minute, Conrad Knight made a good diving save from Lukas Franzen-Jones’ header but Ben Greenhaigh was on hand to tap in Margate’s 5th goal and complete his hattrick.

Conrad Knight, making his debut for Villa, emerged from the match with tremendous credit. He had a fine match, making some great saves. He didn’t stand a chance with any of the goals which he conceded. He thoroughly earned the warm handshake he received at the conclusion of the match from Margate player/manager and hattrick scorer, Ben Greenhaigh.

Referee Fabio Roque and his assistants handled the game well.

Result: Hanworth Villa 0   Margate 5

TEAM LINE-UPS

Hanworth Villa: Conrad Knight, Ali Mansaray, Aston Nunn, Manny Parry (capt), Rayan Djouadj, Theo Curtis (Theo Crawford 46 mins), Liam O’Neill, Sam Mead, Dylan Randall, Joshua Millo (Alfie Mewes 72) and Quincy Patterson.

Unused substitutes: Guy Ansah-Palmer, Mark Smith, Finlay Macnab 

Manager: Simon Haughney.

Margate: Tom Wray, Harrison Hatfull, Ross Craig (Kai Garande 71), Harvey Brand (Fyn Rutherford 46), Harry Hudson (capt), Lukas Franzen-Jones, Ibrahim Olutrade (Jordon Ababio 78), Ben Greenhaigh, Tyrone Sterling, Brandon Davey and Gabriel Duo (Louie Atkins 78).

Unused substitute: Lewis Knight

Player Manager: Ben Greehaigh.

Referee: Fabio Roque Assistant Referees: Ricardo Reynolds and Thomas Nicholls.  

Attendance: 147

Other Results: It was definitely not a good day for Middlesex clubs in the FA Trophy.

Uxbridge were the outstanding exception. They were our only winners, with a convincing 6-0 home victory over Phoenix Sports, through goals by Lee Decabo (2), Wilson Chingoka, Alex Witham, Chad Goulter and an own goal.   This was Uxbridge’s biggest ever FA Trophy win. They deserve our congratulations.

Hayes & Yeading United and Northwood both suffered single goal defeats, at home to Leatherhead and away to Herne Bay respectively. Southall lost at home to two first half goals by Burgess Hill Town, while Harrow Borough lost by 3-0 at Sevenoaks Town, whose goals included 2 penalties.

Report: Jim Taylor

Photography: Chris Benn

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