Nikki Bull says Margate paid the price for not capitalising when they were on top during Tuesday's 2-0 home defeat to Dartford.

The Vanarama National League South derby remained in the balance until 17 minutes from time when Dartford substitute Andy Pugh broke the deadlock.

Skipper Elliot Bradbrook then made the points safe for the visitors by converting an 87th minute spot kick after a foul on Danny Harris by Yads Mambo.

The defeat ended Margate's three-game unbeaten run but manager Bull felt his side had created enough chances to have been in front themselves before Pugh netted.

He explained: "I always felt in the second half that the team which scored first would go on and win the game.

"I thought Dartford started the game well, the first five or 10 minutes, but then we gradually came into it.

"We've conceded too many goals early on in games this season so we've worked on staying in the game and tried to make sure, that 10-15 minutes in, worst case scenario we're nil-nil and I thought we did that well.

"For a half-hour period, probably the 10 minutes before half-time and 20 after, I wouldn't say we were in control of the game but we looked the likelier (to score) and were on top.

"I just felt that in that period, we had to get a goal because they've got dangerous players going forward, and when the game gets a bit stretched you always have that concern that they can score."

Elliott Buchanan - an early substitute for the injured Alex Osborn (quad) went closest to a goal for Gate, twice being superbly denied late on by Deren Ibrahim, but Bull said there were too many times when his players did not work the Darts keeper.

The Gate boss added: "It's a bit of a concern for me, in the final third at the minute, we seem to make the wrong option, when people can shoot they're passing and there's no care on the pass. It's decision making as much as anything.

"We've got a lot of good forward players and there's more that are out injured and I think sometimes when people fear for their place in the side they maybe want to make sure that they're the one who scores the goals and it leads to poor decision making.

"It's something we need to look at because even on Saturday (when they won 2-0 at Bishop's Stortford) there were at least another half-a-dozen occasions when we got the ball in good areas and did not make the most of it."