A Jon Stevenson double saw City bounce back from Saturday’s mauling at Hayes to record a narrow Bank Holiday win over visiting Margate.

Gary Roberts kept faith with the same starting line up from the weekend. The visitors were looking to build on Saturday’s encouraging victory over Eastbourne courtesy of goals from Aaron Barnett and Rocky Baptiste.

A sterile opening period burst into life on the seven minute mark when Baptiste’s lofted centre from wide on the left found Che Stadhart who allowed the ball to drop over his right shoulder before crashing a fierce volley off the inside of Alan Calton’s right hand upright with the ‘keeper beaten.

Dave Sadler holds off an opponent

City found the visitors hard to break down and it was not until Lee Chaffey collected Richard Scott’s pass from deep and made a penetrating run down the left flank that there appeared to be any way through. The former Ipswich full back carried the ball to the bye line before cutting a low centre into the feet of Dave Sadler but Barnett was on hand to effect a last ditch clearance.

There was to be no such let off for ‘Gate the next time City mounted a rare attack, some eighteen minutes into the contest. Jon Stevenson cushioned a neat lay off into the path of Rob Miller and continued his run through the inside left channel. The former Bedford midfielder angled a raking return pass back in the direction of Stevenson but Bill Edwards always seemed favourite to get there first. Unfortunately for the Kent outfit’s longest serving player the ball skipped off the greasy surface eluding his attempted sliding block and arrived at the feet of the grateful Stevenson who cut inside before curling his shot around Olafur Gottskallksson. The Icelandic ‘keeper got a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent the diminutive striker opening his Lilywhites’ goal scoring account.

In a forty five minutes where goal scoring chances were at a premium the visitors came close to equalising eight minutes before the interval. The persistence of Mark Green deep on the right hand side of the City area saw him get the better of Sam Swonnell before laying the ball perfectly into the path of an advancing Adrian Clarke, the former Arsenal winger unleashed a goal bound drive that was only diverted over the bar by the timely intervention of Lee Chaffey’s head.

City made a bright opening to the second period and nearly scored a decisive second goal three minutes in. Aaron Barnett failed to intercept Lee Chaffey’s through ball allowing the pacy Stevenson to scamper down the left before whipping in a centre that was just too far ahead of a stretching Dave Sadler who looked a good bet to convert the chance had he been able to connect.

The visiting keeper can do nothing to stop Stevenson putting City ahead

Chaffey then benefited from Carl Williams intelligent flicked header before setting off on another purposeful run down the flank. With the Margate defenders backing off the City left back unleashed a rising drive that crashed against the angle of post and crossbar with Gottkalksson beaten. The ball rebounded some twenty yards to the feet of Richard Scott who was narrowly off target with a spectacular attempt to capitalise.

Margate then took advantage of City’s inability to clear their lines to snatch a leveller. A right wing throw was worked wide to the left where Baptistle and Clarke were allowed to combine and feed Green who made no mistake with a crisp low drive beyond Calton from some twelve yards out.

The Lilywhites scorned a very presentable opportunity to regain the advantage shortly afterwards. Miller played in Stevenson who opened his body to receive the ball and then had the control to hold play up and allow Sam Swonnel to run into space. Having done the hard work the former Watford midfielder fired wide of the target when well placed on the edge of the box.

With just over an hour played City were awarded a free kick for hand ball against Barnett. Unusually Matt Langston, as opposed to Richard Scott, stepped up. The skipper blasted low into the wall with Scott collecting the rebound but his follow-upwas gathered in by Gottskalksson.

Lee Chaffey having an inspired game then collected a quick free kick and cut inside John Keister on the edge of the Margate box. His progress was only halted by the trailing leg of the Sierra Leone international, a challenge, following hot on the heels of a similar foul on Dave Sadler, deemed worthy of a caution by Mr Kett.

Sadler loses out to Aaron Barnett in this mid-air duel

Gary Roberts then made his first change of the afternoon introducing Dale Binns for Sam Swonnell.

As the game entered the final twenty minutes Richard Scott collected his second caution in three games following an untidy sliding challenge on Baptiste. However, Scott was soon to have a much more positive influence on proceedings as he picked out Dale Binns with a visionary cross field pass. The speedy Binns did well to keep the ball alive before delivering a deep cross which Mark Green may well, on reflection, wish he had headed behind for a corner. Instead he succeeded only in presenting the ball to Rob Miller whose driven centre was diverted home by the head of Stevenson from close range.

As Margate looked to strike back Baptiste rose highest to Greg Oates cross but his flicked header away from Alan Calton drifted wide of the target. In an attempt to keep more of the game in the Margate half Gary Roberts then introduced some fresh legs up front with Robbie Simpson replacing the hard working Dave Sadler.

With ten minutes remaining ‘Gate spurned a golden chance to level and must have felt at that point that it wasn’t to be their day. Clarke played in Stadhart with a neat reverse pass that left the City backline flat footed but with Barnett unmarked in the six yard box the former Gravesend striker elected to shoot instead and skied horribly high.

In an attempt to salvage a late leveller Chris Kinnear introduced Moses Jjinju and in the dying moments the former London Simba striker flashed a drive wide of goal, but there was to be no way back into the game and City held on to claim the three points that send them third in the table.

The Lilywhites showed great character to bounce back from a dismal display on Saturday with Matt Langston in particular back to his dominant best and rediscovering the solid partnership with Glen Fuff that gave City the platform to grind out a hard fought win.