By Blue-tinted specs
Folkestone Invicta 1 Margate 3
A determined display by Margate saw them upset Folkestone Invicta on their own turf in this FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round replay on Tuesday night (September 19).
Having drawn 2-2 at Hartsdown on Saturday, it would have been understandable to think Margate’s best chance of progressing in this competition had gone.
However, the blustery conditions helped ensure this was a very different contest to the first tie and the visitors took full advantage of having the wind behind them in the first half.
On 18 minutes, a ball into the area by Ben Greenhalgh was only cleared as far as the edge of the box where defender Tyrone Sterling fired low into the corner of the net.
Five minutes later it was 2-0. Greenhalgh decided to let fly from distance with a screamer that beat keeper Joshua Strizovic just inside his left post.
Folkestone were struggling to play any cohesive football against the wind and Margate’s defence seemed galvanised by their lead.
There were further chances for Margate including when Strizovic’s fingers touched a goalbound Greenhalgh shot over the bar.
The big question at the interval was how Folkestone would adapt to having the wind in their favour in the second half.
That seemed a moot point when Steve Cawley slotted a third Margate goal on 48 minutes.
The pattern for the rest of the match was now set – Folkestone trying to break down the lines of blue shirts in front of them with the visitors launching occasional attacks of their own.
There was one further goal on 88 minutes for Folkestone sub Ira Jackson but Margate were able to see out the six minutes of injury time with little cause for concern.
Margate now travel to Southern League Chesham United – who have won all nine of their games this season – in the next round on the weekend of September 30.