Boss Mark Stimson believes relegation-threatened Margate’s weekend trip will be a test of his players’ mettle.

Stimson will again seek his first win since taking charge of Gate last month at mid-table Whitehawk this Saturday.

Margate are only two points clear of the bottom four after their New Year’s Day 2-0 home derby defeat to Folkestone and haven’t won since November 4.

After Whitehawk, Margate will return to Hartsdown Park for matches against basement boys Concord on Saturday, January 13, and Bognor seven days later.

“They’re tough games but games we should be looking forward to,” said Stimson.

“Whitehawk, I love going there. It’s an old-fashioned ground where there’s a lot of mud being thrown around.

“It’s roll-your-sleeves up time and that’s where you see if you have got enough characters.”

Report: Margate 0-2 Folkestone

Boss Stimson praises Gate fans

Asked if he felt Gate possessed enough characters in their squad, he replied: “We will soon find out.”

Margate - whose scheduled trip to Cheshunt last Friday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch - failed to net in either of their matches over the festive period.

They were without suspended skipper Sam Blackman and young midfielder Olly Box, who was recalled by parent club Dartford but ended up not featuring for them.

Stimson said: “Unfortunately, the last two games we have not had Sam Blackman, our captain, and he’s a big miss.

“Also, little Olly Box, who we have had on loan from Dartford, got taken back. They had him as a (unused) substitute and then, the next game, they didn’t even use him.

“So, we will be trying our hardest to get him back into the group.

“I think those two players bring creativity. That’s what we have lacked - probably against Folkestone and certainly since I’ve been here.

“I feel like the squad needs a bit more creativity and maybe a bit more pace.”

The return of midfielder Blackman will be a major boost.

Stimson explained: “Sam’s a character, he’s a captain, he has got creativity. He has got energy, he wants to get in the box and he wants to score.

“The more players we have like him, the better.”

Gate will be without veteran defender Tyrone Sterling at Whitehawk, however, after he was sent off after two cautions in their abandoned Boxing Day match at Cray Wanderers.

“He has been brilliant since I came in,” said Stimson, who also saw right-back Harrison Hatfull leave for Dulwich just before Christmas.

“Tyrone was good again on New Year’s Day.

“A couple of weeks ago, he scored a goal here at home (in a 2-2 draw against Kingstonian). He will be a miss.

“If you can get a back four and a goalkeeper where you can say ‘Go on, there’s six games, get on with it’, they can get to know each other's habits.

“But we lost the right-back (Hatfull) only two weeks ago, as well. It’s all taken a bit of time, probably more time than we expected.

“I’ve had four games now - two defeats and two draws.

“One win in there would have been nice but all we can do is keep getting the players out, keep trying to get them playing on the front foot and, hopefully, we can turn these results around.”

Gate’s game against Cray was abandoned deep into stoppage time after a serious head injury to home forward Yahya Bamba following a collision with keeper Harry Seaden.

Stimson felt the 0-0 scoreline at the time should stand - and now the club have had confirmation from the Isthmian League he has his wish.

He said: “Common sense has been used.

“That was the correct thing to do.”