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Manager Mark Stimson has praised the support he has received from relegation-threatened Margate’s board - as he targets further signings.
Gate remain winless under Stimson and haven’t tasted victory in all competitions since November 2, having suffered a fifth straight defeat as they lost 2-1 at second-placed Chatham on Saturday.
But Stimson, who has re-signed experienced midfielder Mo Kamara, insists he still has the support of the Hartsdown Park club’s hierarchy.
With his options relatively limited on his substitutes’ bench at Chatham in terms of senior players, the Margate manager hopes to bolster his ranks further ahead of a massive trip to fellow strugglers Cheshunt on Tuesday.
With skipper Sam Blackman (calf) still sidelined, he stated: “The board has been great.
“They - like me and all the supporters - are really frustrated. They can’t get their heads around how we haven’t got it (an overdue win). But we haven’t.
“They’re just saying to me that they’re backing me and helped me get Mo this week. I’ll probably talk to them this morning and ask if there’s any more funds for a couple more players. I think we need it because our strength-in-depth isn’t that good.
“If Sam’s going to be missing for a couple more weeks, this month is a massive month, starting from Tuesday.
“With the teams that we are playing, we need to be strong from the start and even stronger with the players that we’re bringing off the bench.”
Stimson was pleased to see his fourth-bottom side remain in the contest with their high-flying hosts in front of a huge crowd of 1,897 - only to leave empty-handed again.
He reflected: “It’s frustrating.
“I felt we held our own against a good side, who are second in the league. With the form we’re on, a lot of people probably thought this would be 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0.
“But the boys showed a bit of pride today. They showed little bits of quality - but, obviously, not enough.
“To come away at the end, having lost 2-1, that’s disappointing.”
Kamara rejoins Gate from Herne Bay after a short spell with the club in 2021 while left-back Archie Johnson has departed and midfielder Ryan Lowe has returned to parent club Colchester after a youth loan.
“If you look at the boy in midfield (Kamara), he was probably the best midfield player on the pitch,” he suggested.
“He only turned up today and hasn’t trained with us, so that’s a massive positive. If we can get him playing like that and one or two can step up, and match his athleticism, I think we have got a chance.
“There’s a massive challenge coming up now away at Cheshunt. We know where they are in the league, we know where we are in the league. We have got to go there and be ready for it.
“If you’re not ready for a battle at Cheshunt, you will get turned over.
“It’s maybe not so much about playing on the pretty astro-pitch at home - or the one here today - it’s about playing in the mud and let’s see what men we have got who stand up and are prepared to be counted.”
While defender Tyrone Sterling equalised, Chats restored their advantage through Rowan Liburd in the second period and only two fine late interceptions by debutant Jamie Mascoll denied Margate’s 18-goal top scorer Steve Cawley chances when clean through.
Stimson, booked in the first half at Chatham, conceded: “Steve will go home tonight really disappointed because he’s had two very good chances.
“For him not to take them, that’s surprising. But he’s human, isn’t he? You can’t expect him to score every week.
“He’s just got to make sure that he keeps getting into those positions every week.
“Sometimes, you do have to say ‘Good defending’.
“Both times, he (Mascoll) was maybe a little bit more alert than Steve - and that’s not normal. But it’s good defending from Chatham to stop Stevie because he loves scoring goals and that could have got us a draw.
“I’ve got to watch the second goal back, as well, to see who reacted quickest because it looked like their player reacted quicker than ours.”
Cheshunt prepared for the visit of Gate with a 1-1 weekend draw at Bognor.
