Freddie Ladapo scored the winner as Margate beat Maidstone in the Boxing Day derby at Hartsdown Park.

The pacey forward struck just past the hour to give Blues a second win in a row under new manager Nikki Bull.

But for Stones it was a fourth defeat in five National League South games.

Maidstone were nice and positive early on, neat and tidy in the final third, while a Margate side defending a strong wind enjoyed their best moments on the break.

The visitors might have led inside two minutes, Dan Sweeney heading inches over from Bobby-Joe Taylor’s outswinging corner.

Sweeney bent an effort wide with the outside of his foot from 20 yards after a decent move involving Joe Healy, Tom Mills and the excellent James Rogers.

They were all involved in the best move of the half as Maidstone hit the woodwork five minutes before half-time.

Rogers started it in his own half, feeding Healy who found Sweeney before Mills took up possession and crossed for Jay May whose bullet header was pushed on to the bar by Chris Lewington.

Blues’ best opening came in a bright spell midway through the half when Ladapo went through but Lee Worgan was out sharply and blocked with his legs.

Just before that, Christian Jolley was thwarted by a perfectly timed challenge from Mills after Kane Wills split the away defence.

There were a couple of tasty derby challenges, Manny Parry going in hard on Luke Moore while Nathan Green went through the back of May, in front of the Maidstone dugout.

Ex-Gate man Rogers continued to dictate early in the second half, a lovely pass finding Bobby-Joe Taylor whose ball across the face of goal was crying out for a finish.

Blues took the lead on 61 minutes.

Ladapo was found by Wills and while he couldn’t work room for a shot, his persistence paid off as he played a clever one-two with Moore before clipping the ball past Worgan.

Sean Shields’ deflected strike flew just past the post as Margate looked to build on their advantage.

At the other end, Alex Akrofi was denied by Lewington when played in by Mills and fellow substitute Matt Bodkin blazed over from May’s knockdown.

There was late drama when Worgan came charging out of his goal and brought down Gate substitute Jamie Taylor.

Referee Ian Cooper let him off with a booking - everyone was expecting red - and the free-kick came to nothing.

Margate: Lewington, Wilson, N Green, M Johnson, Goodman, Wassmer, Wills, Jolley (L Taylor 58mins), Ladapo, Moore (J Taylor 71mins), Shields. Subs not used: Stuart, D Green, B Johnson.

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Coyle, Parry, Rogers, Taylor (Banya 70mins), Healy, May, Sweeney (Bodkin 76mins), Karagiannis (Akrofi 70mins). Subs not used: Davies, Paxman.

Attendance: 1,248.