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Williams wonder goal slams the Gate - 4/9/07

A stunning twenty-five yard strike from Dan Williams, just three minutes after his introduction as a second half substitute, helped United maintain their 100% home record this evening, as they saw off a very impressive Margate side by the odd goal in three and provided further evidence of how accustomed they have already become to Premier Division life. United had taken an early lead, against the run of play, when Danny Spice scored his first senior goal for the Club, but surrendered that advantage shortly before the interval to a well worked goal from Margate skipper Steve McKimm. Dan's fabulous effort not long after the restart was worthy of winning any game, although it took a fine reaction save from Lee Worgan, later in a second half of few clearcut chances at either end, to protect the lead and earn United another priceless three points.

United manager Nigel Kane made just the one change from Saturday's last gasp draw against Wealdstone, Tim Olorunda starting in place of Dan in central midfield, before the two switched with dramatic effect in the second half, while Kevin Rose and Tom Cusden both returned to the substitutes' bench, each having missed the weekend trip to Harrow. Three years ago, Margate were a Conference club, but a demotion and a relegation later, they found themselves in the Ryman Premier last season, finishing just out of the play-off places in sixth. Their line-up contained vast experience in the midfield duo of McKimm and Jay Saunders, and strikers James Pinnock and Charley Side, the latter having made a habit of scoring against United in his previous spells with Dulwich and Croydon Athletic. On the plus side for United, injury robbed Justin Jackson and Rob Haworth of their places in a sixteen man squad, that nonetheless looked plenty capable of causing problems for the home defence.

And so it proved in the early stages, as Margate produced some excellent, one-touch, passing football and consistently kept United pinned back in their own half. A slick move in the ninth minute ended with Pinnock firing a low shot at Lee Worgan, but a quick United counter-attack saw Russell Eldridge strike a powerful volley from twenty yards, which young keeper Scott Chalmers-Stevens pushed acrobatically over the crossbar. Russell's ensuing corner seemed to be diverted wide of the target by Ade Olorunda, although the referee gave the decision in United's favour, and Russell's second delivery picked out Danny's run to the near post, whence he steered a low volley past Chalmers-Stevens to put United into a surprise lead. The visitors quickly regained their early authority, with Pinnock and Saunders going close to an equaliser, but picking out Lee's safe hands on each occasion, while Ade collected a yellow card after a needless late challenge on the keeper, and Nigel received a stern lecture from the referee after protesting against the decision. United came back into the contest around the half hour mark, Scott Kirkwood putting a header well wide after good work from Danny Ellis, who was again employed in a part-time striker role on the night. Chalmers-Stevens then saved well from Ade's low volley, but just as it appeared that United were gaining the upper hand, Margate hit back with an equaliser of simple quality, Saunders escaping the clutches of three would-be tacklers, as he drifted infield from the left, and slotting a ball between Sean Ray and Rhys Whyborne for McKimm to stab a low shot past Lee from just inside the area. United refused to be thrown off their stride by the leveller through, and Ade sped clear of Louis Smith onto a Danny Ellis long ball in first half stoppage time, but could only drag a shot across goal and wide, and the teams reached the interval at one goal apiece.

The second period began in a similar manner to the first, with the visitors seeing plenty of the ball and knocking it around in a determined fashion, yet United's defence, which had looked so shaky against Wealdstone, continued to hold firm, although Rhys almost gifted Margate a second goal with an ill-judged backpass that completely wrongfooted Lee and dribbled only narrowly wide of the post. A couple of minutes later though, United stunned Margate for a second time with a goal quite literally out of nothing, Danny Ellis battling to win possession inside the visitors' half, Dan then advancing with the ball for a few yards before unleashing a vicious shot that soared and swerved past the utterly helpless Chalmers-Stevens. The wonder strike appeared to knock the wind out of Margate's sails for a while, and United looked in total control for the next ten minutes, until Side's quick break set up Luke Coleman for a shot that sailed high and wide. That effort at least snapped the Kent side out of their malaise and they went desperately close to levelling for a second time with a quarter of an hour remaining, as Coleman's free kick from the right found Saunders at the far post, but Lee Worgan was again equal to the effort, pushing a firm header over the bar with a fine reaction save. The visitors introduced the imposing figure of John Akinde as a late substitute in place of Saunders, and operated with three up front, but there seemed as much chance of United nicking a third goal on the break, as there was of Margate grabbing a point.

In the end, United were able to close out the contest with an air of quiet confidence somehow unbefitting of their still slightly inferior status at this new level. Results such as this can only make the Premier Division hierarchy sit up and take notice however, and certainly bode well for another tricky encounter on Saturday when West Sussex rivals Horsham visit the Pilot Field.

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Hastings United (4-4-2)							Margate (4-4-2)
1 Lee Worgan							1 Scott Chalmers-Stevens
2 Danny Spice							2 Stuart Harte
3 Jimmy Elford							3 Justin Skinner
4 Rhys Whyborne							4 Luke Coleman
5 Sean Ray (c)							5 Louis Smith
6 Tim Olorunda							6 Dan Young
7 Lee Carey							7 Steve McKimm (c)
8 Scott Kirkwood							8 Dean Standen
9 Ade Olorunda							9 James Pinnock
10 Danny Ellis							10 Charley Side
11 Russell Eldridge							11 Jay Saunders
Substitutes
12 John Bradley (for Ellis 78)							12 John Akinde (for Saunders 81)
14 Dan Williams (for T Olorunda 55)							14 Kieran Morris
15 Dominic Cruttenden							15 Mark Watson
16 Tom Cusden							16 Mick Moir
17 Kevin Rose							GK Matt Bowles

Attendance 595

Referee Michael Rowley (Reading)

Assistants Simeon Potter (Sutton) & Stephen Earl (Mitcham)