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Margate 3 Horndean 2 - match report

Joe Taylor struck twice as Margate survived a scare to reach the FA Cup second qualifying round at Hartsdown Park on Saturday.

They trailed their Wessex League opponents after 15 minutes before Frannie Collin's free-kick ensured parity at the break.

Taylor's neat finish put them in front just before the hour and the same player then completed the comeback before Horndean added their second in the dying minutes.

Margate's Frannie Collin Picture: Don Walker.
Margate's Frannie Collin Picture: Don Walker.

Margate – without a goal in three matches – fielded both midweek signings, winger George Brown, who has joined on loan from Colchester, and forward Stephen Okoh, who has been signed from Stranraer.

There were also starts for defender Ben Swift and midfielder Lee Prescott while Tom Wynter and James Rogers dropped to the bench.

Horndean, seventh in the Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division, certainly did not look overawed early on and created an opening in the first few moments when Alfie Liss swept the ball over from Connor Kelly's low cross.

Jack Maloney then fired wide from a free-kick before the visitors broke the deadlock on 15 minutes.

Jackson's low cross was met by Liss and although Gate keeper Henry Newcombe made an excellent parry the ball rebounded out and back into the net off Liss.

Gate almost fashioned an immediate response when Jack Paxman's angled drive clipped the upright and three minutes later the woodwork denied them again as Collin thudded a dipping drive against the crossbar.

There was further frustration for the hosts in the 25th minute when debutant Brown appeared to have his heels clipped by Horndean left-back Kelly but referee Jamie Pope waved away their appeals.

The Blues were forced into a substitution just after the half hour when the injured Alex Brown gave way to Chris Barnard and moments later Horndean were denied a penalty as Friend appeared to hold up Harry Jackson.

The third penalty shout of the half came in the closing minutes as loan signing Brown went down again, this after looking like he'd been pushed by Dan Sachman, and then Horndean's Jackson broke clear at the other end only to see his lob bounce down off the underside of the crossbar.

New boys Okoh and Brown both showed moments of promise at the start of the second half but Horndean were doing their best to frustrate Gate when Taylor took Prescott's pass on 58 minutes and curled a low shot into the far corner.

That should have been the cue for Gate to take command but Horndean continually broke up the play to disrupt their flow.

Tom Mills fired straight at Magee from 25 yards, but chances were proving scarce until, in the 76th minute, Horndean defender Luke Heard bundled over Taylor, who picked himself up to send Magee the wrong way from the spot.

Horndean still weren't about to go down without a fight with Newcombe twice doing well to deny Everett before Maloney fired home in the 89th minute to give them some more reward for their efforts.

Margate: Newcombe, Paxman, Mills, Prescott Friend, Swift, G Brown, A Brown (Barnard 31mins), Taylor, Collin (Lewins 79mins), Okoh (Rogers 75mins); Subs: Wynter, Wratten, Kallmeier, Olayiwola

Horndean: Magee, Reed, Kelly, Heard, Sachman, Hookey, Maloney, Howes (Everett 65mins, Glasspool, Liss (Edwards 65mins), Jackson; Subs: Smith, Duffin, Kanganda, Mann

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