Nikki Bull's reign as Margate manager began with a victory thanks to Freddie Ladapo's second-half winner against Gosport Borough in Vanarama National League South at Hartsdown Park on Saturday.

Top scorer Ladapo struck from close range in the 66th minute as Gate secured only their second home league win of the season and their first since beating Havant and Waterlooville 4-1 on November 7. The victory also took them out of the bottom three and up to 18th.

Manager Bull made four changes for his first game, giving Friday signing Chris Lewington his debut in goal while Brett Johnson, Christian Jolley and Luke Moore earned recalls and midfielder David Hunt was given the captain's armband.

Gate went into the game with just one win from nine home league games, while visitors Gosport had won their previous four matches, but the Blues almost made a dream start when Christian Jolley's shot in the opening seconds was well saved to his right by Boro keeper Nathan Ashmore.

Debutant home keeper Lewington was then given an early test by Gosport's George Barker, saving well low down to his right on six minutes but for the remainder of the half chances were few and far between.

Sean Shields won one of three first-half corners for Gate following a fine run just before the half-hour but for all their effort - and there was certainly plenty of that - the home side were unable to create any clear-cut openings.

Boro had a number of free-kicks in decent positions but they failed to really test Lewington again until the dying seconds of the half when Dan Wooden's fierce 25-yard set piece was well turned over by the former Dagenham keeper.

Bull would have been delighted with the way his side defended against the wind before the break and they made an excellent start to the second half with wide man Shields highly prominent.

He almost caught out Ashmore with a swirling cross which the Boro keeper did well to clutch just under the crossbar and he then sent over a teasing cross from which Jolley headed just over at the far post.

Jake Goodman also flicked a header wide from a long throw from Matt Johnson - a half-time replacement for the injured Hunt - before the Gate deservedly broke the deadlock on 66 minutes.

Shields backheeled the ball to sub Nathan Green - introduced for Brett Johnson on 50 minutes - and his low cross found its way, via a couple of dummies, to Freddie Ladapo who stabbed home from close range.

Gate man-of-the-match Shields should have doubled the lead minutes later but he fired over and Green also fired in a long range effort that Ashmore gathered at the second attempt.

Margate did have one scare on 62 minutes when Boro's 15-goal hitman Justin Bennett - the division's leading scorer - was given a rare sight of goal but he blazed over and once the home side had broken the deadlock Boro rarely threatened an equaliser.

Their only other chance fell to Bennett in the dying moments but his shot was superbly blocked by a massed Gate defence, led by Goodman - epitomising their commitment on the day.

Margate: Lewington, Wilson, B. Johnson (N. Green 50mins), Hunt (M.Johnson half-time), Goodman, Wassmer, Wills, Jolley (sub, L. Taylor 80mins), Ladapo, Moore, Shields; Subs J. Taylor, D. Green.

Gosport: Ashmore, Wheeler, Williams, Carter, Poate, Woodford, Robinson, Harding (Lee 78mins), Barker, Bennett, Wooden; Subs: Wilde, MacDevitt, Dunford, Ryan.

Attendance: 540