Frustrated Margate manager Steve Watt described Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Eastbourne Borough as a missed opportunity for the Blues.

Ira Jackson's stunning 52nd minute strike looked like earning Watt his second win as Gate boss, but 11 minutes from time Josh Hare was allowed to run unchallenged from deep to equalise.

Watt described the Bourne goal as 'bizarre,' and said someone in a blue shirt should have taken responsibility for tracking Hare's surge.

He explained: "We got our goal and you're thinking we're very, very comfortable which I believed we were and then we concede a bizarre, bizarre goal. I can't believe how no one came in and put pressure on Josh.

"A player runs the length of a half with the ball and into your 18-yard box and no one comes out and engages him.

"I've been sitting in the dressing room and me and Browny (assistant manager Steve Brown) we can't understand it. As a centre-half you either go or you make sure someone else does but no one did.

"The only person who went across eventually was our goalkeeper (Jon Miles), which is incredible."

Watt said he felt Margate have still to discover the knack of closing out games, and claimed some players still lacked confidence in certain situations. The draw kept them bottom of Vanarama National League South 12 points from safety.

He added: "I believe that when a club has been in a situation like this one has, ie not been in winning positions often and used to losing I think it's a mentality thing.

"No one wanted to take responsibility (to engage Hare) because if a player does come out and they (the opposition) play around him and score they don't want to be the one to blame.

"I believe there is a lack of responsibility which is maybe built upon a lack of confidence, of not being in those situations but it's certainly the basics of football if you're in that situation where someone is breaking down your full-back area then either a centre-midfield player or a centre half go into the channel to engage.

"We needed three points today, it's as simple as that so it's a big opportunity missed. I felt as though we deserved the win and we got ourselves in a position to do so but unfortunately we threw it away."

Watt says the fact his players were disappointed not to have beaten mid-table Eastbourne shows the progress they have made, and that there were several other pluses including the debut of winger Dave Martin, who joined on loan from Bromley on Thursday.

Watt, who revealed that Jeffrey Monakana has been allowed to return to Sutton, said: "Dave's a very good player and I'm grateful we've been able to get him in.

"He's got a great left foot, he's a very intelligent footballer and he's hard working something we need in the situation we're in. I think between now and the end of the season he'll be a big player for us."