Harrison Hatfull and Kai Garande have been hailed as two of the best full-backs in the division by Margate player-boss Ben Greenhalgh.

Both were influential as Isthmian South East play-off occupants Gate extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches with last weekend’s 3-1 victory over Three Bridges at Chatham.

Garande, 21, won a first-half penalty, which was converted by 15-goal top scorer Ibrahim Olutade, before 24-year-old Hatfull’s first goal this season put them back ahead after Three Bridges’ second-half equaliser.

Captain Harry Hudson claimed a late third - much to Greenhalgh’s amusement - a scrappy goal that came from a corner by the player-manager, who felt the clincher may have been bundled in by midfielder Harvey Brand.

Greenhalgh said: “When we take corners, Harrison always stays back.

“It’s difficult for him to get involved there. That’s why we judge our players on goal contributions, both in terms of goals and assists.

“However, it’s also a case of getting more goals for him. It’s the same for Kai Garande, who got another assist on Saturday winning the penalty, and was brilliant.

Gate man makes team-of-the-week

“In my opinion, they’re two of the best full-backs in the division, especially for how we play.

"Hopefully as the club progresses, they can.”

Greenhalgh admitted it was a case of getting the job done against the West Sussex side, playing at the Bauvill Stadium with a 3G pitch being put down at Jubilee Field.

“There was no music before the game and a bit of a strange atmosphere,” he reflected.

“However, we went ahead in the first half through a penalty from Ibz. We were disappointed to concede after half-time but we scored twice more after that.

“The one thing I will give to them is both their centre-halves could throw it long. We defended well against that.

“Our distances were about 1k down because it was so stop-start so we cannot be too critical of the team. It was just a case of getting the job done and maintaining our momentum.

“To have 35 points from 16 league games, we’re over the moon.”

The only sour note on the afternoon was the sending-off for debutant winger Enoch Muwonge.

Muwonge, 20, promptly collected a caution after he had been introduced for the last 12 minutes of normal time and was controversially awarded a second booking for an adjudged stoppage-time dive.

“I felt sorry for him,” said Greenhalgh, whose team will turn attentions to this weekend’s home league game against Erith Town.

“We got him down on Thursday night for training and he looked brilliant, and again in Saturday’s warm-up.

“The game was a bit tight but, when he came on, he offered us a different quality. His first yellow was for his first real involvement, which was disappointing.

“The second one, he has gone around their player and he’s gone down - and got booked.

“At the time, I thought it was a penalty. I can understand a referee, wanting to play it on, but it’s not a dive.

“Why would he go down once he’s gone past his man, anyway?

“He has got the same opinion of it.

“He will miss Saturday’s game now, which is tough, but he’ll be available after that and we’ll take it from there.”

While Gate were 3-1 winners at Erith Town last month, Adam Woodward’s team have adapted well to life in a higher division and Greenhalgh expects them to be there or thereabouts in the play-off race.

He said: “They’re organised. They have got a good group and they’re getting a lot of success.

“I don’t think they will ever be a team that rolls over and they have done well against the better teams.

“For them to make the play-offs, that would be an unbelievable achievement, but they’ll get close.”

Five-goal Louie Atkins impressed in Margate's thumping 6-0 Velocity Cup victory at Ashford after midfielder Brandon Davey broke the deadlock on Tuesday.

Gate's weekend match will see defender Ross Craig come up against his former club, having left the club for the Dockers last month.