Gravesend & N 1 Margate 2

MARGATE progressed into the next round of the FA Cup but this tie left Fleet manager Andy Ford frustrated and facing a possible FA rap.

The Fleet boss was dismissed from the dug-out by referee Kevin Wright for remarks to an assistant moments after Margate's second scored by Phil Collins in the 69th minute.

Collin seemed yards offside and everyone stopped but no flag was raised and the much travelled Kent journeyman striker joyfully netted.

Jimmy Jackson lead the Fleet protests which earned him a yellow card and then play was stopped with the Fleet boss ordered to the stand. Ford said: "We've been cheated, and I don't think that's too hard a thing to say. I will probably be in trouble for what I've said, but I don't care.

"At the end of the day I'm a fair man and expect people to play by the rules. Every manager at the moment in the Conference is moaning about officials. We have one or two good ones but the standard is very poor. It was blatantly two yards offside and nobody in the stadium could believe it. It was a terrible decision."

Margate had taken the lead two minutes earlier when Sierra Leone international John Keister rose to glance his header past goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson to break the deadlock in a tie which was always watchable without being a classic.

The referee gave Fleet hope when he penalised a Margate player for handling and pointed to the spot in the 81st minute. Stadhardt stepped up to easily convert.

Five minutes of added time saw Stadhart drill a cross just wide and Jackson then sent another effort past the far post with almost the last kick of the game.

Margate now travel to Leyton Orient in the first road proper.

Gravesend: Wilkerson; Lee, Watts, Wilkins, Strouts, Kwashi, Barr (Owen 75 mins), Jackson, Sturgess (Bentley 10 mins), Stadhart, Booth (Sodje 60 mins). Not used: Coyle, Turner.

Margate: Mitten; Oates, Lamb, Edwards, Shearer, Keister, Braithwaite, Beard, Saunders, Collins, LeBerle, Subs not used: Munday, Perry, McFlynn, Turner, Smith

Attendance: 1,850.