We have always believed with the squad we have together that we should be challenging for a play-off spot and we have hit a good bit of form at the right time, says Margate assistant Mike Sandmann

MARGATE assistant manager Mike Sandmann says his players’ must not get complacent now that they have reached the Bostik Premier play-off zone.

After losing 3-1 at home to Folkestone Invicta on New Years Day, Steven Watt’s side have come away from Billericay Town with a point in a 1-1 draw on a mud bath, before coming home to Hartsdown Park to beat Needham Market 3-1, Dulwich Hamlet 1-0, hold Leatherhead to a goal-less draw, before beating Tooting & Mitcham United 3-2 and Thurrock 2-0.

“It's been a good couple of weeks for us as a group we are currently six unbeaten and have played the top two teams in the league taking four out of six points which is a great return,” said Sandmann.

“A real positive for the group is we are back to keep clean sheets with three in the last six which is huge credit to the whole team not just the defenders. We expect the team to work front to back in all our games so we congratulate the whole team when keeping clean sheets. 

“Tuesday night was another good solid performance restricting Thurrock to very little chances in the game and being able to control the game at our tempo which also extremely positive.”

Dulwich Hamlet lead the Bostik Premier table with 62 points in the bag from 30 games, but big-spending Billericay Town are five points behind but they do have a remarkable eight games in hand on Gavin Rose’s men.

Neil Cugley has guided Folkestone Invicta into third-place in the table on 52 points from 28 games, a point better off than Margate, who have played a game more, while Staines Town occupy the final play-off berth on 49 points from 28 games.

“We have now put ourselves in a good league position up to fourth and need to continue to put the pressure on the teams around us by winning matches,” added Sandmann.

Margate travel to fifteenth-placed Harrow Borough on Saturday and eighteenth-placed Kingstonian next Monday.

“We play two games in the space of three days with Harrow and Kingstonian on Monday, so it's important we don't become complacent and keep performing the way we have been,” said Sandmann.

“We have always believed with the squad we have together that we should be challenging for a play-off spot and we have hit a good bit of form at the right time.

“There is still a lot of games to play but we just need to continue about our business in the recent manor.

“A real positive is we are hoping of returning injured players Chris Sessegnon and Tom Mills in the next couple of weeks and was good to have Jay May back for Tuesday. Aaron Simpson, who is on loan from Gillingham was fantastic Tuesday and has been another good addition to the group.”

Kingstonian, meanwhile, play their home games at Fetcham Grove in Leatherhead but have struck up a deal to play at Corinthian-Casuals’ ground in Tolworth next season.

Visit Margate’s website:  www.margate-fc.co.uk

Harrow Borough  v  Margate
Bostik Premier Division
Saturday 27 January 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Earlsmead, Carlyon Avenue, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 8SS