An injury-time goal from Ryan Moss earned 10-man Margate a 2-1 win at Witham Town and kept pace with the top-two in Ryman League Premier Division.

The match remained in doubt until just 15 minutes before kick-off with sleet falling in Essex onto an already wet and heavy pitch, but after discussions between the officials and both managers the game went ahead.

Nikki Bull needed to be alert in the Gate goal to keep out an early snap-shot from Tom Wraight, who also drew a flying finger-tip save from the keeper with a curling shot from the edge of the box soon after.

Gate took the lead against the run of play when the recalled Tom Phipp rose to head in a corner from Sam Rents after 26 minutes and Luke Moore also made it 2-0 moments later, only to send his shot inches wide from 20 yards.

The hosts saw an equaliser ruled out for offside on 36 minutes and Bull had to thwart Wraight and Lewis Godbold while after the break, as conditions worsened, Phipp clipped the bar with a fine chip shortly before the hour.

Godbold eventually got the better of Bull with a long-range blast just after the hour mark to level the scores and moments later Witham had a man advantage as Phipp lunged into a tackle which earned him a red card.

Witham finished the stronger and looked more likely winners but a rare Gate attack three minutes into stoppage-time saw Charlie Wassmer’s cross turned-in by Moss to spark wild celebrations.

The win kept Gate six points behind leaders Maidstone and two adrift of second-placed Dulwich Hamlet, though fourth-placed Met Police and fifth-placed Hendon both lost.