Luckless Lancing were denied at the death for the second time in a week as substitute Jordan Ababio pilfered the points for visiting Margate in the final minute. 

A draw was the very least Jamie Hollis and his improving side deserved against a side recently relegated from the Isthmian Premier Division; a team considered one of the favourites for promotion. 

Alas it was not to be as Ababio stepped off the bench to slam high beyond the otherwise excellent Alieu Secka in the closing moments. It came a matter of seconds after Tashae Andall-Gibbons and then Noel Fisher had themselves almost snatched the headline grabbing glory. 

There was one change from the XI for that game at our Sussex rivals. With Charlie Gibson on England duty, Callum Erskine came into the side with Noel moving into an unfamiliar left-back position. Thomas Dickson-Peters started in a central position on his home debut. The Margate squad featured a familiar face in the form of a returning hero – 28-goal Lukas Franzen-Jones was an integral part of Lancing’s unexpected play-off charge last term and started on the bench.

In the first ever competitive meeting between the Lancers and ‘the Gate’, there was certainly a lot to like in the performance of a lively Lancing team growing in both confidence and form.
Noel forced an early corner with a surging run from his makeshift position, but the first clear cut opening went the way of the unbeaten visitors.
Player boss Ben Greenhalgh, once of ‘Football’s Next Star’ fame (and a resultant contract with Serie A giants Inter Milan) was at the heart of everything Margate did. 

Greenhalgh became acquainted with the upright not once but twice as he volleyed off the post from a Max Walsh cross, and then headed against the bar soon after – this time after good work from Kai Garande.

Lancing almost opened up the Gate soon afterwards when Fisher cut inside and fired on goal, but Tom Wray was equal to the shot and scooped it behind to safety.

Secka was certainly the busier of the two keepers though as he saved twice in quick succession. First, he tipped wide from Greenhalgh, who must have been wondering what he had to do to score, and then palmed over a James Bassey effort from distance.

Margate had been thwarted by a combination of good goalkeeping and a bit of bad luck but, when the opener did come, it was courtesy of one of our own on the cusp of half time. 

Brandon Davey’s hopeful ball into the area looked to have caused no danger only for Harry Docherty to stretch out a leg and turn the ball beyond his own keeper and in. 

Half time: Lancing 0-1 Margate

Into the second half, and Secka resumed his duel with Greenhalgh, prevailing again when he blocked at the feet of the forward. Docherty cleared off the line from Ibrahim Olutade, and Secka was there again to smother the ball as Garande shaped to shoot. 

His heroics paved the way for his spirited colleagues to get back into the contest, with much of Lancing’s derring do provided by the talented toes of the teenaged Erskine. 

Having earlier fired into the side netting, Callum thumped the same post as Greenhalgh earlier in the encounter. And it was he whom was fouled to allow Docherty to atone for his error as he curled the resultant free-kick around the wall, beyond Wray and into the corner. Quite literally cometh the hour, cometh the man. 

Leon Moore followed suit when he stung the palms of the keeper, Andall-Gibbons went close with a 20-yarder and Fisher was kept out by Wray after good link up play.

It seemed Lancing’s unstinting efforts had earned the prize of a point, but Ababio had other ideas as Margate broke upfield to pick out the substitute. He rifled high beyond the undeserving Secka to secure the Gate’s smash and grab. 

A cruel blow right at the end and another defeat by a single goal, but the Lancers can hold their heads high. If we play like this for the rest of the season, then things are looking up in the not-too-distant future. 

Full time: Lancing 1-2 Margate

Lancing XI: Alieu Secka; Shay Matthews. Shay Leahy, Harry Docherty, Noel Fisher; Knory Scott, Tashae Andall-Gibbons, Leon Moore; Callum Erskine, Tom Dickson-Peters, Luke Robinson. Substitutes: Stan Berry (for Erskine 62), Harrison Parker (for Dickson-Peters 78), Evan Hoarty (for Scott 86), Ahmed Belgarne.

Yellow cards: Moore, Scott, Robinson

Attendance: 301