There were mixed emotions for Margate player-boss Ben Greenhalgh after their comeback draw with Erith Town on Saturday.

Gate trailed to a first-half goal from former full-back Ross Craig and a rare mistake by young keeper Tom Wray allowed the Dockers to double their tally in the 72nd minute.

But they almost instantly pulled one back through midfielder Brandon Davey and earned a stoppage-time equaliser thanks to substitute Max Walsh’s second club goal, with Erith left with an outfield player between the sticks for the final stages after Nathan Edwards had to be substituted.

Winger Jordan Ababio then found himself clean through, only for the referee to blow the full-time whistle before he could get his shot off, as it finished 2-2 in Isthmian South East.

“I think - frustratingly - we did better without the wind,” said Greenhalgh. “When we were going downwind in the first half, we didn’t make the most of it.

“They didn’t really have a chance - apart from Ross’ hit - so going 1-0 down was frustrating and concerning.

“I’ve never been in a game where you’re through one-on-one with their goalkeeper and the referee blows for full-time!

"That was frustrating but, at the same time, we’ve got a 93rd-minute goal to get level so we cannot be too disappointed.”

The stalemate extended Margate’s unbeaten home league start to the season.

“We always do quite well against the wind at Margate,” revealed Greenhalgh. “That involves us playing into our fans, who give us a massive lift.

“Their [second] goal came out of nothing. It’s an uncharacteristic mistake from Tom Wray, where it’s just slipped out of his hands for their striker to score.

“But it’s a great reaction from the boys and I’ve put it into Brandon Davey for the first goal.

“Brandon played a little bit higher up the pitch and got his rewards, and Max came on and showed why we’ve brought him in.

"It’s a good reaction - but we’ve always had that this season.”

Gate’s second-half fightback came after Craig had netted with a volley - supported by the wet and windy conditions - just a month after he had left Hartsdown Park.

Greenhalgh said: “I don’t want to put Ross down at all but, without the wind, it was probably going quite a way over the crossbar!

“Fair play to Ross. He just wanted games and he’s getting that at Erith Town.

“It just so happened when he was here that he was competing with Kai Garande, who has been one of our strongest performers all season, for a place.”

Margate faced Erith Town without suspended winger Enoch Muwonge and playmaker Ben Allen, who pulled out during the warm-up.

“We’re talking to a couple of players that we might try and get in but it’s nothing major,” noted Greenhalgh. “Enoch was suspended on Saturday but he’s back now.

“We just have a couple of little injuries and we’re still managing Ben Allen, which is the big one. We felt like Saturday could be his chance to get involved but he felt something at the end of the warm-up.

“He’ll bring goals for us. It’s just about being patient with him.

“He has tried to rush it a little bit, we have tried to rush it a little bit but now it’s about making sure he’s right for the rest of the season.”

Margate progressed to the third round of the Velocity Cup at Ashford last Tuesday.

Five-goal young striker Louie Atkins led them to a 6-0 victory, with both teams naming much-changed sides. Davey had netted first at Homelands.

Greenhalgh said: “They fielded a couple of young players but we did, as well.

“As soon as Louie got his first goal, we felt he had that hunger to get more. He scored more than 100 goals over three years at the Dartford Academy so we knew he would get goals.

“We just needed to get his confidence going and, straight away, we saw that on Tuesday.

“Getting five goals in any game of football is an incredible achievement, no matter who you’re playing against.”

But Gate were knocked out of the Velocity Cup at the third-round stage in midweek at home to Sheppey. Davey scored for the third time in as many games but Ernie Batten’s troops came roaring back to leave Ababio's late strike in vain in the 4-2 loss.

Next up for Gate in the league is a trip to basement boys Phoenix Sports on Saturday. Their main threat will be Richard Pingling, who has scored six goals in seven matches for the club.

“They have got a lot of new players, Phoenix, and their results have started to pick up a bit,” said Greenhalgh.

“Not that I’ve ever played there before but I’ve watched games at their ground before and I know it’s a tough place.”