Reece Prestedge questioned the amount of added time after Margate conceded a last-gasp equaliser at Dulwich Hamlet in the Isthmian Premier on Saturday.

Gate overturned a 1-0 half-time deficit to lead 2-1 thanks to Sam Blackman’s strike on the hour and a 90th-minute Steve Cawley goal.

The visitors negotiated the signalled six minutes but play went on and Hamlet snatched a 2-2 draw with the last kick.

Gate boss Prestedge was shocked to discover an additional 45 seconds had been added on by referee Tolu Sangowawa while he booked Gate player-coach Phil Roberts.

The caution itself was contentious with Roberts carded for timewasting after a replacement ball, thrown on by the home dugout, struck him on the heel.

“We should have won the game,” said Gate boss Prestedge.

“The referee decided to play an extra 45 seconds for a ball that’s come on the pitch and hit one of our players.

“It’s hit our player on the back of the heel - he wasn’t even looking at the ball - and the referee has booked him for timewasting and added on 45 seconds for it, which is beyond me.

“I heard he got told about it by the assessor but that doesn’t make any difference to us because the game’s done.

“If he’d added on 10 seconds, fine, but he’s given the home team 45 seconds for nothing. He told me that’s what he added on.

“I could understand if something had happened or one of our players had gone down but to add 45 seconds for that, when it shouldn’t even have been a booking, I just don’t get it.

“It took five seconds to get the ball back in.

“It’s so frustrating because they’ve scored from the last kick and we’ve dropped two points again.

“I’ve looked at the video and we could have done better for the goal but if he doesn’t add that time, we win the game.

“What can you do? We just have to roll with the punches.”

Margate had recovered impressively from Anthony Jeffrey’s opener for Dulwich just before half-time in front of a sell-out crowd of 3,334 at Champion Hill.

But they conceded an injury-time leveller for the second time in five days when Josh Shonibare struck, having also been pegged back at the death in a 1-1 draw with Haringey Borough at Hartsdown Park on Tuesday night.

“Dulwich were the better team in the first half but then we came out and deserved to be 2-1 up,” said Prestedge.

“Even after the game I was pleased because 1-0 down away to Dulwich, it’s a tough place to come back.

“The effort and endeavour and desire, you can’t fault it.”

Margate, who visit Whitehawk in the Velocity Cup tonight, go to Wingate & Finchley in the league on Saturday (3pm).

The Londoners sit just outside the play-offs in eighth, with Gate 14th.

“Wingate have had a good start to the season, so we’re expecting another tough game on Saturday,” said Prestedge.

“We’ve got to stop conceding late goals.

“I think it probably does get in players’ heads when it’s happened twice in a row.

“If we’re in that situation again, we have to see the game out.”