Nikki Bull tasted defeat for the first time as a manager when Margate lost at Maidstone on Saturday.

Bull led Blues to a 1-0 victory in the Boxing Day fixture between the Kent rivals but United turned the tables with a 2-1 success at the Gallagher.

The match was settled by a magnificent free-kick from Vas Karagiannis as Bull lost his unbeaten record in his fourth match in charge.

He said: “It’s not a nice feeling but it was a game of fine margins, as it was on Boxing Day, and obviously a well-taken free-kick - you don’t see many of them at this level.

“The boy’s got a real good set-piece delivery and ultimately that’s been the difference between the two teams.

“Both goals we’ve given away today - and the Dartford one - have come about from set-plays.

“It’s been a problem for us all season giving away too many free-kicks in wide areas and if you keep giving teams chances to put the ball in the box, ultimately they’re going to take one.

“But give Maidstone credit, they’re well-drilled, they changed system, went a lot smaller and played a bit more football going forward.”

Margate remain 15th in National League South but are only three points clear of the bottom three after St Albans drew with Bishop’s Stortford.

Blues had taken seven points from nine under Bull before losing at Maidstone and now it’s all about the reaction when they host Maidenhead next weekend.

Bull said: “We let the lead slip at Dartford and today we’ve got back into the game at 1-1 and come away with nothing, so I want to make sure they are disappointed in the dressing room and don’t accept defeats, and we go again against Maidenhead.”