Manager Reece Prestedge hopes it’ll be fourth time lucky for him with Margate against Kent rivals Folkestone in the FA Cup.

Since taking charge of Isthmian Premier Gate alongside player-assistant Ben Greenhalgh in December 2022, Prestedge has been beaten three times by Invicta, including in a 2-0 league loss at Cheriton Road last month.

Gate have failed to score against Folkestone in all three league losses.

But Prestedge hopes his Margate players can show the best version of themselves in this Saturday’s Second Qualifying Round match and put that unwanted record behind them.

Prestedge said: “We’ve played them three times while I’ve been in charge and we haven’t won yet.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re correct and we go into the game with as much preparation as we can because we’ll need a win from it.

“Hopefully, we can do the job that we didn’t manage to do at their place.”

Both teams look in decent fettle ahead of the cup clash.

“We’re hoping there will be another good atmosphere,” noted Prestedge.

“It’s, obviously, going to be a tough game. We only played them recently so, this time, we’ll go in with a lot more information on them.

“Hopefully, we can get the result we need.”

Gate head into the match after a 2-1 home Isthmian Premier win against bottom side Potters Bar, who are yet to claim a league point this season.

A bumper crowd of 921 watched the match in the sun at Hartsdown Park on Saturday.

Prestedge said: “It was a good crowd.

“That was definitely pleasing to see. It just shows where the club is going at the moment, bringing in good crowds like that. There was a family fun day.”

The visitors had led at half-time before striker Steve Cawley struck twice in five second-half minutes.

Prestedge reflected: “You can’t really look at the league table too much. Obviously, they have zero points but anyone can beat anyone in this league.

“There’s no team who aren’t going to put up a fight. They had good players that can play at this level and above.

“I think that’s where the league is at, at the moment. It’s probably the strongest it’s been.

“We probably dominated the ball a bit more than them, first half, and they didn’t cause us too many issues. But an error led to their goal.

“At half-time we said we needed to keep the ball moving because they wouldn’t want to be chasing it in this heat and we said ‘Make sure you’re patient because the goals will come’.

“That’s exactly what happened.”

Prestedge also explained why frontman Harvey Smith has gone to Southern Counties East Premier Division Whitstable on a dual-registration basis.

“It’s purely just to get him some game time,” he stated.

“It’s been tough for him. He had a very good pre-season but he knew the situation when he re-signed.

“It’s just so he can keep his minutes up and, hopefully, he goes there, gets himself some goals and comes back ready to fight for his place again.”

The victors of the match between Margate and Folkestone will pocket £3,375.