Margate O Weymouth 1

AN unlucky own goal by skipper Darren Annon summed up Margate's afternoon as they slipped to a third home defeat of the season against Weymouth at Homelands on Saturday.

It was a scrappy goal to settle an untidy contest, as the Thanet side also finished with 10 men after John Keister was sent off in stoppage time following two bookable offences. He picked up his first caution for a heavy challenge on Martin Barlow, and then saw red in stoppage time after words with referee Ian Crouch.

All the better chances in the game fell to Margate, but they were denied by Weymouth goalkeeper Jason Matthews, who vied for the man of the match honours, together with Gate's Adrian Clarke.

Boss Chris Kinnear who looks set to try and add to his small squad before tomorrow's trip to Lewes said: "We didn't play very well in the first half, but second half we were all over them, and just couldn't convert our chances.

"There was nobody near Darren, he was running towards the ball, and it him straight in the shins, he couldn't get out the way , and it goes into the middle of the goal. It was a fluke, but a bad goal to give away."

Weymouth were made to look very ordinary at times, and on this display will struggle to make an impact on Nationwide South, despite the reported £500,000 investment by majority shareholder and chief executive Martyn Harrison.

Sprinked with players with Football league experience they made the better start, with player-manger Steve Claridge going close as early as the third minute, but denied by goalkeeper Nej Hussein.

Ten minutes later Hussein's poor clearance led to Weymouth taking the lead. It fell to Lee Phillips, but Billy Edwards, making his 399th appearance for the Thanet club, looked to have cleared the danger, but the loose ball was picked up by Phillips whose cross bounced off the unfortunate Annon into the net.

Margate pushed forward looking for an equaliser, and Che Stadhart was brought down, but Greg Oates' 21st minute free kick was acrobatically tipped away by Matthews. Keister's first booking came four minutes later, before another Oates' free kick brought out another fine save from Matthews.

Gate's best move of the first half came ten minutes before half time. Rocky Baptiste and Che Stadhart combined well and Clarke sent a drive over the bar.

Stadhart had a goal ruled out for offside early in the second half, courtesy of a late offside flag, and then Clarke fired wide. Baptiste should have equalised two minutes later. Stadhart's cross set up the chance, only for Baptiste's header to bounce down and over the bar.

Then another Clarke free kick caused problems and Matthews somehow kept out a close range effort by loan debutant Dean Beckwith. The 20-year-old Gillingham defender performed well up against Claridge and Lee Philpott, while Edwards fired over.

Aaron Barnett, left out at the start, came on to play as a make-shift centre forward, and almost snatched a late equaliser, only to see his free header go straight at Matthews.