Goalkeeper Harry Seaden has been praised by Margate manager Reece Prestedge.

He kept them in their Isthmian Premier home match against Hashtag United with some excellent saves on Saturday before Steve Cawley’s stoppage-time volley secured a point in a 1-1 draw.

That came after Seaden had earned Margate’s first clean sheet of the campaign in an impressive 2-0 win over high-fliers Chatham at Hartsdown Park last Tuesday through goals from player-assistant Ben Greenhalgh and Cawley.

“Harry kept us in it,” said Prestedge. “It’s not just the saves he made on Saturday.

“Overall, he has come in and has been excellent for us. He deserves credit.”

Substitute Fyn Rutherford swung a high ball into the penalty box which found striker Cawley, who shaped well to sensationally volley into the net amid a dramatic conclusion to their match against Hashtag United.

Prestedge reflected: “The result wasn’t the result we wanted but we just kept going.

“When you’re 1-0 down and pushing for an equaliser, you’re going to be more open and they had a couple of chances to finish the game. But we kept going and kept working hard and we probably got the result we deserved.

“From our corner which gets headed out, Fyn puts it back in – the ball probably has snow on it! But Steve puts it in and it’s a great goal.”

Four points from two league games was a good return for Gate as they moved clear of the relegation zone. They were beaten 2-1 at home to Hastings on Tuesday, though, as Chris Agutter took charge of them again.

“If someone offered me four points before the games, take it or leave it, we would have taken it all day long,” admitted Prestedge on the matches against Chatham and Hashtag United. “It’s about, when you’re at home, making sure you don’t lose.

“That’s where we should be picking up the majority of our points over the season.”

Lewis Knight has made a positive impact on his return to the club.

Prestedge took Knight off against Hashtag United with muscle tightness, while player-coach Phil Roberts is still sidelined through injury. Defender Knight was fit enough to start in midweek again, though, as captain Sam Blackman got their goal.

“We were just leaking too many goals,” said Prestedge.

“We know Knighty and we didn’t want to get anyone that we didn’t really know. It was a case of ‘When can we do it?’

“It just felt right, especially going three at the back and, his first game back, we kept our first clean sheet of the season.”

Another new face for Gate fans is Olly Box, with the 18-year-old midfielder joining from National League South Dartford - where Gate player Greenhalgh works - on loan.

“I have known Olly Box for a while,” noted Prestedge.

“Ben knows him from Dartford.

“He has bags of quality. Even in the limited minutes he has had, he has shown it. He’s willing to do the harder side of the game.

“I think he gives us something we don’t have.”

Midfielder Antonis Vasilliou has left in search of regular first-team football.

Margate Women were knocked out of the FA Cup as they were defeated 13-0 by higher-division Millwall Lionesses on Sunday to end their excellent run to the Final Qualifying Round.