Boss Reece Prestedge wants to see Margate’s fringe players step up to the mark.

Gate, who tonight are due to host Isthmian South East Cray Valley in the Kent Senior Cup quarter-final, are at promotion-chasing Isthmian Premier outfit Enfield this Saturday.

But Prestedge’s side will be without midfielder Sam Blackman, as he completes a two-game ban and defender Emmanuel Oke - starting a three-match suspension - while midfielder Cameron Brodie has been recalled by parent club Dartford.

On the suspensions of Blackman and Oke, Prestedge said: “They’re two players that have been doing really well and they’re massive for us.

“There will be some changes and we will just have to roll with it.

"Some people will get their chance. Hopefully, they will take it.”

Winger James Bessey-Saldanha also missed Gate’s 1-0 weekend defeat to Carshalton through a hamstring injury after they came from behind last Tuesday to draw 1-1 at Herne Bay despite Oke being sent off.

• Darts recall midfielder from loan at Margate

Playmaker Nathan Wood levelled at Winch’s Field after the restart.

Ex-Gillingham midfielder Billy Knott, full-back Harrison Hatfull and striker Harvey Smith were among those on the bench against Carshalton.

“It’s getting stronger,” Prestedge noted.

“James Bessey-Saldanha was injured on Saturday and Ade [Cole] is just coming back.

“Squad-wise, we’re strong. If you look at our bench, it’s probably as strong as it’s been all season.”

Tommy Bradford’s first-half strike earned Carshalton the points at Hartsdown Park in a tight encounter.

Prestedge reflected: “It was pretty much a nothing game, where neither really created enough chances.

“Defensively, we were solid and we were pushing, but we just didn’t really create much at all.

"We had good spells in parts of the game but we just need to start dominating larger spells of the game.

“Both teams, to be fair, lacked a bit of quality at times. It was one of those games, unfortunately.”

Although Margate are now winless in four, they have not conceded more than once in seven fixtures.

“First game in charge against Folkestone [a 4-0 loss], I don’t think we can really base anything off that,” Prestedge said.

“We conceded four, then three in a draw against Brightlingsea, then four and then four again.

“But since we have been able to have a good few weeks of training, we have not conceded more than one goal in a game.”

While Gate sit precariously above the relegation zone in 16th, Enfield are in the upper echelons of the table. They beat Margate 5-2 in September.

Prestedge said: “They have got bags of quality.

“They have players that I know, like Andre Coker and Jake Cass, who is a proven scorer at this level. They are very good but it will be a good test for us.

“We go into every game thinking we can get a result and we will have the same mentality against Enfield.”