Six straight draws were put to bed in emphatic fashion at Hartsdown Park on Saturday afternoon as Margate came from two down to steal victory, with ten men, in a six goal thriller.
Victory keeps The Gate in the play-off mix but manager Steve Watt’s men, yet again, did things the hard way.
Falling behind to a Matt Foy double for visitors Harlow, Watt somehow mustered his men for a second half of epic proportions.
A Jay May header six minutes after the restart got them back into the game and, after Frannie Collin leveled proceedings it was all systems go.
A second header of the afternoon from May put The Gate in front midway through the second before a red card, a third in three games, rocked the home side.
The character in which Watt has instilled in his charges this season has been shining brightly since the turn of the year and Jordan Chiedozie scored a fourth to ensure the play-off charge remained on track, The Gate level on points with Hendon on 75.
Speaking afterwards manager Steve Watt (below at a previous match) said: “Well it wasn’t a great way to start the game and we had an extremely poor first half.
“However, we did have a few chances, hitting the bar twice, so we knew there was some goals in us. But that first half though, it was totally unacceptable.
“The second half, getting the goal back as early as we did, then I knew there was only going to be one winner and our character, which has got stronger as the season has wore on, shone through.
“My assistant, (Steve Brown) gave them some home truths in the dressing room at half time and when we came out for the second, it was at our tempo and when we’re like that, no team can cope with us.”
Recent games have seen The Gate finish with ten men, Saturday’s dismissal of George Essuman being the sides third in their last three outings. Dismissals in the previous two matches, to Tom Mills and Tom Wynters, have also come late in the game.
“He (Essuman) never made a bad tackle all game and if the match was played in a more frenzied manner then I’d understand more, this one though can be put down to lack of experience although things haven’t really gone our way in the last few weeks.
“This win though was important and we had to get the three points.
“We now have to do it again on Tuesday before we face Staines on Saturday afternoon. If we keep winning though then we’ll be in the play-offs and, home or away, we can play under any circumstances.”
Next up for Margate are two games in quick succession, at home to fifth bottom Kingstonian on Tuesday night, KO 7.45pm, before a trip to another play-off hopeful, sixth place Staines Town, on Saturday afternoon.
Result Margate FC 4- Harlow Town 2
Report Peter Mann