Margate manager Nikki Bull admitted it was men against boys in the first half of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat away to Bath City.

The home side secured the points with two Andy Watkins goals in the opening 27 minutes, and Bull conceded that his side – which included four debutants – simply could not cope with the home side’s physicality.

Bull, whose team remain bottom after a run of 13 successive Vanarama National League South defeats, explained: “Bath are a big physical side who have been together for a while, and at times in the first half it was men against boys.

“Every time they got a corner or a set play it looked as if they could score.
“I was sitting there thinking this could be six or seven, but credit to the boys they improved in the second half.

“We played some really good football and as a manager it was enjoyable to watch.”

Ben Swallow, Dean Morgan, Jake Phillips and Harrison Bennett all made their debuts and Bull said the performance of Reading youngster Bennett was a definite plus.

He added: “I thought young Harrison was exceptional. I’ve rarely seen a better debut than that from a lad who is 19. His attitude was brilliant and in a game that was physical and congested in midfield every aspect of his game was excellent.”

Fellow debutant Morgan was unlucky not to score after seeing a second-half strike ruled out for offside and Bull reckons he and Swallow will get better the more they play.

Bull said: “Dean probably had more shots in 65 minutes than we’ve managed in the last few matches but he needs games to get fit and Ben’s the same, he’d not played for a month before Saturday but that’s where we are at the moment.

“We’re signing players who can’t get in at other clubs and on a bottom half Ryman South budget.”

Winger Ira Jackson played the last game of his 28-day loan spell from Dover and Bull says it is unlikely he will look to bring into too many more new faces at the moment – unless his hand is forced.

He explained: “The reason we’ve made the signings we have lately is because we’ve had to.
“We lost Tommy Cooney, who was offered more to play somewhere else, Charles Banya, because he wanted to play as a forward, and Lewis Taylor because he’d stopped enjoying his football here.

“We’re having to make changes almost every week and are then coming up against established sides. It’s not an ideal situation.”