fine run in the Ryman League Premier Division came to an end with a late defeat at Carshalton Athletic on Saturday.Margate’s

Craig Cloke (pictured) headed Gate ahead from Matt Bodkin’s corner on 10 minutes and a sixth straight league win looked on the cards.

However, despite the visitors creating several more chances and Curtis Robinson seeing a goal disallowed, they eventually tired and Paul Vines bundled in the leveller 20 minutes from time before Tom Davis headed the winner in stoppage-time as Gate slipped to ninth following the 2-1 defeat.

Cray Wanderers were held 0-0 by Kingstonian at Hayes Lane to fall to seventh, one point and two places outside the play-off spots.

Folkestone Invicta lost their unbeaten home record in Ryman League, Division 1 South after a stunning 4-0 reverse against Merstham at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Harry Ottaway did the damage for the visitors with a hat-trick as Invicta slipped to fifth in the table, now seven points behind leaders Bognor Regis Town and having played a game more.

Invicta found themselves 2-0 down at half-time for the second home game in succession thanks to Ottaway’s strike on 10 minutes and Fabio Saravia’s header on 28 minutes.

However, any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Ottaway completed his treble with two further goals in the opening nine minutes of the second-half.

Maidstone United leapfrogged Folkestone into fourth after recording a 2-0 home win over struggling Whyteleafe.

It took just three minutes for Baff Addae to put the Stones ahead from the penalty spot, while Alex Waugh sealed the win with a second three minutes before the break when he fired in after a slip from Leafe goalkeeper Paul Smith.

Hythe Town’s play-off chase was hit by a 1-1 draw with fellow promotion-hopefuls Chipstead.

Gary Mickelborough was put through to open the scoring after just eight minutes but Pat Kingwell turned into his own goal 11 minutes after the break to leave Hythe Town in eighth, eight points behind Folkestone, who occupy the final play-off spot.

Ramsgate are five points behind Hythe in 10th following a goalless draw at home to Eastbourne Town.

Simon Pettit rattled the bar for the Rams but that was as close as either side came.

At the other end, Sittingbourne went 4-1 down at play-off-chasing Worthing to slip to 18th.

The hosts went 3-0 up inside half an hour through Steve Metcalf, Matt Hurley and Ryan McBride.

The Rebels added a fourth on 54 minutes through Tom Lawley to make the points safe but on-loan Richard Atkins netted a consolation for the Brickies 16 minutes from time.

Whitstable Town made it back-to-back clean sheets after a goalless draw at Crawley Down.

Town remain 19th but closed within three points of 18th-placed Sittingbourne.

Faversham Town are 14th after losing 2-0 at home to title-chasing Bognor.

Dan Beck headed the opener five minutes before the break while free-scoring Terry Dodd clinched the points 10 minutes after the interval.

In Ryman League, Division 1 North Thamesmead Town cruised to a 4-0 win over Soham Town Rangers.

Lea Dawson opened the scoring inside two minutes and Joseph Afusi’s shot beat the Rangers keeper seven minutes before the break.

Daniel Kerrigan lashed a third into the corner before the interval and AFusi grabbed his second in the 90th minute to take Mead up to 12th.

Chatham Town allowed a 2-0 lead to slip to draw 2-2 with Potters Bar Town in the final four minutes.

Lee Hales put the Chats ahead two minutes before the break and Jason Barton looked to have made the game safe 20 minutes from time.

However, a penalty for the visitors halved the deficit on 86 minutes and an injury-time shot through a crowd snatched an unlikely point.

Chats’ first draw in nine games did take them up to 14, however.