Andy Drury was pleased with 10-man Margate’s FA Cup win - and told his troops that’s exactly the sort of performance he wants in every game.
Gate progressed to the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round on Friday night as, despite losing midfielder Montrell Deslandes to a first-half red card, Harvey Smith scored the only goal to earn them a 1-0 success against Aylesbury United.
It was a resolute performance from Margate to set up a trip to National League South Dulwich in the next round. Manager Drury said: “I spoke to the boys after the game and said ‘We really need to do that week-in, week-out’. “We are still a new squad but we are six games in now. "I’m hopeful, if we do that week-in, week-out, we can climb the table a little bit.” Drury - who had been watching an Aylesbury counter-attack - didn’t see an off-the-ball incident which saw Deslandes shown a straight red card for being adjudged to have kicked out. “It happened in pre-season when he got sent-off against Ramsgate,” said Drury. “If he has done anything, it’s something he needs to control, otherwise people will use that. “But at the same time, he’s still young.
We will not kill the kid. “We’ll keep trying to improve his mentality and his football ability.” Striker Smith, who joined in the summer from Isthmian South East Corinthian, netted his second goal of the campaign.