Margate 2 Waltham Forest 1

MARGATE'S season received a timely boost as goals by John Keister and substitute Moses Junju helped them make progress in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The victory earned them a winner's cheque of £3,750, athough manager Chris Kinnear admitted afterwards that his team did not play very well.

Kinnear's selection options were restricted by the absence of three players, Peter Benevides, Che Stadhart and Dean Beckwith, who Gillingham did not want cup tied. Greg Oates started the game, but was forced off for the second successive week, with knee tendon trouble.

Young striker Daniel Bulley started a game for the first time as did Alexis Charalambous, but neither Mark Stein or former Maidstone striker Ken Charlery figured in the visitors line-up as expected.

Bulley almost celebrated his debut with an early goal, but his attempted lob fell wide of the target. Then Rocky Baptiste's long range effort was deflected for a corner, which Arron Barnett headed over.

The North London side, formerly Leyton Pennant had their best spell midway through the first half , when Dewayne Clark, scorer of a midweek hat-trick at Erith and Belvedere, Ian Barnes and Carl Ashton all went close.

Then Pat Gradley and Clarke had chances to put Margate in front, before Baptiste saw another effort cleared off the line. Gradley pounced upon the the loose ball, only to see his effort bounce off the woodwork. Baptiste hit another effort over the bar, before Forest went close twice late in the first half.

Oates failed to re-appear for the second half, replaced by Tamba Ngongou, and Margate broke the deadlock three minutes after the break. Baptiste set up the chance, and his pass inside to Keister saw the former Sierra Leone international control the ball well before shooting low past King.

However Margate's lead was short-lived, as Forest were level almost when Marvin Walker's low effort beat Peter Trego.

Kinnear sent on Junju for Bulley, and his 68th minute strike helped Gate regain the lead. Again Keister was involved, this time as the provider, and Junju's shot went through a crowded area, and into the net. Ngongu tested King again, before Margate almost added a third when Clarke's header went just over.

* MARGATE have been handed an away tie against either Kent rivals Tonbridge Angels or Braintree Town in the next round.