Eastbourne Borough v Margate

MARGATE will go ahead with their Nationwide South game at Eastbourne Borough on Saturday, despite the death of their former player Paul Sykes earlier this week.

The 28-year-old striker spent four years with the Thanet club, and helped the club win promotion to the Nationwide Conference in 2001.

Manager Chris Kinnear and assistant Kevin Raine are still coming to terms with the news.

Raine, who like Sykes did, lives in Dover said: Everyone who knew Paul is devastated. The Eastbourne manager Garry Wilson rang me on Tuesday saying they would be willing to call the match off, but it is going ahead.

"We sat at training on Wednesday night reminiscing about Paul's time at the club. He travelled with me and Paul O.Brien when he played for us, and I must admit my head has not stopped spinning since Chris rang to tell me the news."

Margate's fight against relegation wasn't helped by Newport County's 5-0 win at bottom club Redbridge on Tuesday.

Greg Oates undergoes knee surgery on Friday and won't play again this season, while American Peter Benevides missed training this week with a groin problem and is rated very doubtful for the trip to Sussex.

Mark Green played half an hour in Tuesday's ill-fated John Ullman Kent Senior Cup tie at Folkestone, and is likely to figure in the squad at the weekend. The former Gillingham trainee has been out of action since breaking a leg against Hayes last September.

Meanwhile, Folkestone Invicta have also decided their home game against Heybridge Swifts will go ahead, after consulting with Paul Sykes' family.

Related article

Don't miss a minute of the action