Margate 1-1 East Thurrock United
(Higgins 5’ (p): Adeboyajo 70’)
From Hartsdown Park
FA Trophy third qualifying round
EAST Thurrock United will go again in the FA Trophy in a tale of two penalties against Margate.
It took Rocks just five minutes to make the breakthrough and it came from a familiar source.
Joe Gardner was tripped in the penalty area and Sam Higgins stepped up to fire powerfully into the net.
Away goalkeeper Lukas Lidakevicius kept out an effort from Victor Adeboyejo as Margate looked to respond.
Higgins was only denied a wonderful goal by a back-pedalling Margate stopper Valerie Pajetat with a shot from inside his own half.
Kane Rowland missed several good opportunities, with chances blocked and off target from the edge of the penalty area.
Jermaine Osei was kept out by Lidakevicus, who made an even better save to deny Adeboyojo on the stroke of half-time.
Although it could and probably should have been 2-0 at the break as Gardner was superbly thwarted by Pajetat.
Gardner was again kept out by Pajetat as the second-half got underway as Rocks looked for that decisive second goal before the hosts struck back with 20 minutes remaining.
Adeboyejo levelled from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the build up to bring parity.
Both sides had half chances in the closing exchanges but it ended all square, with the two set to go head-to-head again on Tuesday.
East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Burns, Sammons, Clark, Wood, Ferdinand, Harris, Marlow, Higgins, Gardner, Wraight
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