Margate 0 Yeovil 1

MARGATE were unable to unlock a experienced Yeovil Town defence as they lost 1-0 in the Nationwide Conference at Hartsdown Park on Saturday. They found themselves behind on 20 minutes after Gary Blackford conceded a free kick.

The resulting kick was sent into a crowded box, where Yeovil's centre back Colin Pluck rose above everyone else and directed his header out of the reach of keeper Lee Turner. Yeovil started to pile on the pressure and Turner kept busy. Margate fought their way back into the game and nearly levelled half time when Phil Collins headed just wide after good work from Paul Lamb.

They carried the form over into the second half and enjoyed a period of pressure on the Yeovil goal with Simon Beard narrowly heading over the bar. It seemed only a matter of time before gate would grab an equaliser.

On 70 minutes Beard claimed he had forced the ball over the line from a Paul Lamb free kick. But the referee waved play on to the disappointment of the hundreds of home fans grouped behind the goal.

Margate manager Chris Kinnear made two substitutions in the final 20 minutes, bringing on Mark Munday for Collins and Iain Hilaire for Gareth Graham. Hilaire nearly scored with his first touch within seconds of coming on, but saw his shot go wide. In the dying minutes of added time, Lamb found himself free at the far post but his header found its way over the bar and with it went any chance of a point.

Yeovil moved up to seventh in the league on 29 points while Margate stay in third place behind Dagenham and Redbridge and Boston United on 34 points.