Margate's good form at Hartsdown Park continued with a 1-1 draw against Hungerford on Saturday afternoon.

Gate bounced back after the 4-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet on Bank Holiday Monday with a battling display against a side who had won two of their three away games previously.

The visitors took the lead with a superb goal from Stefan Brown on 18 minutes but an even more spectacular strike from Elliot Buchanan after the break ensured Gate's first draw in 22 games in National League South - though Town did hit the bar three times in the closing stages.

Keeper Lewis Ward missed the game with concussion sustained at Stonebridge Road meaning a debut for teenage Reading keeper Joe Tupper who joined on a youth loan on Friday - though the hosts were without Ali Fuseini who left for Welling this week.

After a low-key start on a gusty day at Hartsdown, Manny Parry nodded tamely wide at the far post from a corner on 11 minutes.

The standout moment of the half came at the other end on 18 minutes when a bouncing ball fell nicely for Stefan Brown to smash a superb half-volley into the top corner giving Tupper no chance.

Within seconds of the restart Brett Johnson's lofted cross from the left caught the wind and almost looped over the scrambling George Legg, who gathered from a low Michael Thalassitis effort soon after.

Legg, like Tupper, is a Reading loanee, and he saw his Royals clubmate endure some nervy moments at the other end with the 18-year-old struggling to cope with set-pieces and communicate with his new teammates.

Thalassitis rose highest to meet a Scott Donnelly free-kick from the right just after the half-hour but his effort back across goal was well wide.

Rhys Tyler cut inside to drag a shot wide of Tupper's post at the other end while Antigua & Barbuda striker Nat Jarvis glanced a header wide and was denied a likely goal thanks to a superb defensive header from sub Lewis Taylor in his own six-yard box after a fine cross from the right from Ian Herring.

Daniel Akindayini threw himself at a delicious cross from Luke Moore at the other end but just failed to connect on the stroke of half-time.

Thalassitis burst down the right three minutes after the break and cut inside his marker before seeing his low shot stopped low at his near post by Legg.

Moments later Legg got down to his right to deny Brett Johnson's low shot after Thalassitis' pass.

The pressure continued and after Thalassitis was fouled 25 yards out, Elliot Buchanan stepped-up to fire a left-footed free-kick up and over the wall and into the top-corner with a glance off the woodwork.

Tupper got away with a flap from another corner at the other end and was beaten all-ends-up by former Gate midfielder Luke Williams' superb effort on the half-volley from 25 yards which rattled the bar before bouncing down and away on 67 minutes.

The woodwork was still wobbling seven minutes later when Garyn Preen led a break from his own half which ended with James Clarke thundering another shot from 25 yards, this time into the top of the bar past a flying Tupper.

Tupper improved as the game went on and seven minutes from time made a vital stop, racing off his line to get a deflection after Jarvis had beaten the offside trap to get to the bouncing ball first.

Four minutes from time Town's Matt Day hit the woodwork for the third time with a looping header from a corner but Gate once again survived and Buchanan spurned a glorious chance to win it when he blazed over from eight yards in added time with the goal at his mercy, a feat repeated at the other end by sub Nic Bignall in a frantic finish.

Gate return to action at home to East Thurrock on Tuesday (7.45pm) seeking to extend their run of one defeat in four at home and climb up the table from 16th position.

Margate: Tupper, Cash (Taylor 29mins), B. Johnson, M. Johnson, Mambo, Parry, Donnelly (Osborn 46mins), Moore, Thalassitis, Buchanan, Akindayini (Barrington 70mins). Subs not used: Bull, Fitzsimons. Attendance: 642