Margate player-manager Ben Greenhalgh could make changes for their FA Cup third qualifying round replay at Horsham
06:36, 01 October 2024
updated: 06:37, 01 October 2024
Ben Greenhalgh is considering changes for Margate’s FA Cup third qualifying round replay.
Gate are off to Horsham tonight following a 1-1 draw at Hartsdown Park on Saturday.
The winners will host Isthmian North club Gorleston in the final qualifying round on October 12, a stage the Thanet club last reached in 2019.
Isthmian South East Gate more than held their own against Premier Division Horsham in the first meeting and led through Ibrahim Olutade before conceding a second-half equaliser.
They travel to West Sussex with no fear as player-boss Greenhalgh bids to keep them on track for a place in the first round proper for the first time since 2002.
That could involve freshening up his starting XI.
“It’s a good ground, it’s a 3G, like ourselves, and we’re going to go with a game plan,” said Greenhalgh.
“We knew what we expected from them and I think our tactics might have worked, but things have to change and we might have to freshen things up to make sure everyone’s hitting the same standards that we’ve set all season.
“We want to keep the energy and the good thing on Saturday was the lads who came on gave us that extra bit, so we went the last 20 minutes kicking on and looking like we were going to be the team to win.
“A few of them will be desperate to be in the starting XI and we’ll have those thoughts and we’ll try and get it right for Tuesday.
“It’s always a hard XI to pick when we’ve got so many players firing.
“I think the most obvious one is, in my opinion, we’ve probably got the three best full-backs in the division (Harrison Hatfull, Ross Craig and Kai Garande) and we can only play two.
“They’re pushing each other and it’s a really good, feisty relationship between them.
“They’re competitive with each other, which is exactly what we need, but there’s no bitterness between and they support each other whoever does play.”
Goalkeeper Tom Wray could have a big part to play if the tie goes all the way to penalties.
He saved two Joe Taylor spot-kicks as Gate won 1-0 at Ramsgate in the Kent Senior Cup last week and has been a revelation this season.
Greenhalgh said: “It wasn’t just the two penalties, he made a couple of big saves in the second half.
“He’s been brilliant for us, he’s got seven clean sheets in 13 games, so that’s incredible.
“Tom’s come in and been massively effective for us.
“He claims a lot of crosses, which I think is the one thing that’s impressed us the most.
“He makes good saves and kicks well but it’s the claiming of crosses that’s been so important.
“We know what non-league is about and set-pieces can be so effective, so when you’ve got a goalie who comes out and claims the way he does, it gives you so much more confidence as a team.”
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