Margate boss Reece Prestedge hopes arrival of midfielder Godfrey Poku can help team keep more much-needed clean sheets

Experienced midfielder Godfrey Poku has joined Margate as manager Reece Prestedge seeks clean sheets.

Isthmian Premier Gate are without a shut-out from their first 11 matches in all competitions this season.

Prestedge has been working hard to fill the void left by Montel Agyemang, who suffered a broken tibia in last month’s 2-1 home defeat to Cheshunt. He hopes former Luton man Poku, now 33, can help Margate stay more organised.

Poku has already featured in the FA Cup this term but is free to play in the FA Trophy after former club Enfield withdrew from the competition earlier this season without playing a game.

“Obviously, he’s cup-tied in the FA Cup but, in the league games, he will be quite vital,” said Prestedge, who saw Margate lose 4-1 at Canvey Island on Saturday.

“Hopefully, he can start helping us get a few clean sheets.

“He was probably one of the positives from Saturday’s game. He came on and looked like someone we really needed.”

Young striker Fyn Rutherford also got his second goal of the season in Essex.

Prestedge admitted: “Fyn has been doing really well. He has come in and made us think about the formations and tactics we’re going to use, and that side of it.

“He’s playing really well and doing what he needs to for the team.”

Other than Poku and Rutherford, few in a Margate shirt came away with much credit from the Canvey defeat.

“We just weren’t at it,” conceded Prestedge. “We started okay for the first 10 or 15 minutes.

“We sort of lost our way and they applied pressure. The only time we sort of got ourselves back into the game was at 3-0 down. By then it was too late.”

That loss came after Gate had beaten Kent rivals Folkestone 3-1 in their FA Cup Second Qualifying Round replay last Tuesday thanks to