Margate made it seven wins from seven in the Bostik Premier when they comfortably despatched bottom club Burgess Hill at Hartsdown Park on Saturday.

Frannie Collin's brilliant free-kick opened the scoring with top scorer Jordan Chiedozie making it 2-0 before half-time with a shot that took a hefty deflection.

The win extended Margate's unbeaten run to 11 matches and moved them clear in second, two points ahead of former leaders Dulwich Hamlet who were held 1-1 by Enfield.

Boss Steve Watt named the same XI which had started the 1-0 win at Brightlingsea the previous week meaning Kane Haysman, who scored the winner in that game, remained on the bench.

Skipper James Rogers, Jack Evans and Tom Wynter were all still suspended but there was a return to the bench for defender Ben Swift after his recent hamstring injury.

Hill looked well organised early on but after a relatively quiet start the game exploded into life with a stunning 25-yard opener from Collin.

The way Hill keeper Tony Di Bernardo and his defence lined-up to defend his 16th minute free-kick suggested they expected a cross but Collin nonchalantly stepped up to whip a superb curling shot into the top corner.

Dave Martin and Chiedozie both then pulled shots wide, the latter after doing well to cut inside his marker before the Gate doubled their lead in fortuitous fashion on 28 minutes.

Chiedozie will no doubt want to claim the goal but his cross-shot took a hefty deflection off Burgess Hill defender James Richmond to give Di Bernardo no chance.

The Gate top scorer then flashed a header wide from a corner while it was 42 minutes before home keeper Lenny Pidgeley was called into action and then it was just to gather a Jack Brivio free-kick that was straight at him.

Right on half-time Hill's Connor Tighe got behind the Gate defence but his header from Sam Fisk's cross was again straight at Pidgeley.

Hill's Aaron Smith-Joseph had a half-chance early in the second half but failed to extend Pidgeley, who gathered comfortably, and Tighe then headed wide but the visitors rarely threatened a goal.

There was not all that much action at the other end either. Collin fired well over from another free-kick while Martin whipped in a peach of a cross which eluded everyone, just before he was replaced by Haysman.

Chiedozie did set up a good shooting opportunity for Sam Blackman after completely bamboozling Fisk on the byline, but the midfielder failed to connect properly and the chance went begging.

Both Tom Mills and Swift made their returns from injury in the final quarter of an hour, Swift making a great block from Smith-Joseph who then forced Pidgeley to parry at his near post.

Mills nearly set up a late third for Haysman but his chipped pass was just too far in front of the midfielder and right at the death Hill's Smith-Joseph blazed over when unmarked.

Margate: Pidgeley, Bodkin, Simpson (Mills 73mins), Prescott, Friend, Essuman, May, Blackman, Chiedozie, Collin (Swift 79mins), Martin (Haysman 60mins); Subs (not used): Lee, Sollis.

Burgess Hill: Di Bernado, Diallo, Fisk, Taylor (Forfana 75mins) Elphick, Richmond, Krabbendam, Brivio, L. Harding (Ngamvoulou 65mins), Smith-Joseph, Tighe (Sanusi 73mins); Subs (not used): P. Harding,Shaw

Attendance: 547