‘Gate game crucial to both teams’ differing goals
Carshalton Athletic meet Margate at Colston Avenue on Saturday 16th March (3pm kick off) with both sides wanting maximum points for different reasons.
For ‘Gate, it’s about pulling themselves out of a relegation mire. For the Robins, it’s about maintaining pressure on the teams in the playoff hunt.
It’s been a tough season so far for the visitors, with the appointment of former Hornchurch manager Mark Stimson in December having so far failed to turn around their fortunes. Ahead of a crunch Tuesday night clash with Cheshunt, the team one place and two points above them in the league, the Gate sit precariously in the relegation zone. On Saturday they fell to a 4-2 defeat at Hashtag United, their eighth loss in the last nine games – only punctuated by a home defeat of Canvey Island. Two goals from long-serving Ben Greenhalgh in the Hashtag game took him to 10 for the season joining leading scorer Steve Cawley (18) in double figures.
When the teams met on the Kent coast in Stimson’s first game in charge, a spectacular Brad Williams strike separated the sides and ended a dismal streak for the Robins. Since the New Year, however, Carshalton have been on a run of one defeat in 13 league games that has vaulted them to within three points of the playoff places, substantially helped by back-to-back wins against promotion chasing Chatham Town and Horsham in the last two weeks. Central defender Joe Bell scored in both of those games while defensive partner Luke Read was also on target in the Horsham game taking his tally for the season to six – highlighting the useful knack that Carshalton’s back line has acquired of scoring at the other end in recent weeks.
Tickets
Available at: https://www.carshaltonathletic.co.uk/tickets
Adults – £11; Over 65s – £8, Under 18s – £5; Under 5s (with accompanying adult) – Free.
(Note that to celebrate the Robins’ first home fixture after International Women’s Day, entry for all women will be free).
