Margate earnt their first point from a possible 57 after drawing 0-0 at Concord Rangers on Saturday as they ended a run of 18 straight defeats.
Manager Steve Watt named new loanee signing Pape Gueye up front after joining from Sutton United on Friday as well as new centre half Ben Swift after joining the Gate on Friday afternoon.
It was the hosts who started the game strongly with Lewis Ward called into action several times with Delle-Verde coming closest with a fine low strike which Ward superbly tipped wide within the opening ten minutes.
Margate were coping in the Midfield, however couldn’t muster up any clear chances as Gueye created half chances linking up well with Dean Morgan in the final third. The hosts thought they went in front on 33 minutes as Cawley headed in a deep cross however the referee’s assistant raised his flag after the defender strayed into an offside position.
It took nearly 45 minutes but Margate forced their first chance right on the stroke of half-time as Tarik Moore-Azille played a delightful through ball to the feet of Gueye who saw his low effort well saved by the feet of Vose in the Concord goal to keep the scores level at half-time.
The second half started evenly with both sides cautious not to fall behind in what was a tight affair at The Aspect Arena. The hosts again were creating the clearer chances but Ward continued to be equal to everything that Concord threw at him.
Morgan almost put the Blues ahead as he wriggled free from the Concord defence after a fine ball through from Chris Sessegnon however Rob Girldlestone denied the striker with a last ditch challenge.
Margate almost snatched a last minute winner as Jerson Dos Santos ran down the left before squaring to Monakana who squared the ball across the six yard box only for no Margate player to be rushing in to bundle the ball home.
MARGATE: Ward, Sessegnon, Palmer, Rogers ©, Moore-Azille, Swift, Monakana, Hamilton, Gueye (Adelakun 84’), Morgan (Akindayini 66’), Jackson (70’)
Subs Not Used: Pajetat, Phillips
Attendance: 267
Man of the Match: Chris Sessegnon
Report by Ryan Day