Margate manager Andy Drury on his decision to bring in goalkeeper Amadou Tangara to replace Ben Bridle-Card

Manager Andy Drury is delighted to have brought goalkeeper Amadou Tangara to Margate.

Gate start their Isthmian Premier campaign at home to Kingstonian this Saturday with a new man between the sticks.

Margate last week, perhaps surprisingly, let Ben Bridle-Card go before bringing in Tangara.

“Amadou became available. I think he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the league - if not the best,” Drury explained.

“He’s very tall, commanding, a good leader, good with his feet and good coming off his line. So he’s got everything you need as a goalkeeper.

“That’s nothing against Ben Bridle-Card.

"But when an opportunity, in my opinion, to improve the team comes up, then I will take it.”

Margate were again forced to name several trialists as they continue to battle injuries, especially in defence, as they ended their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 victory at Sittingbourne on Friday.

Drury concedes he may need to bring more players in this week with Lewis Knight, Taylor Fisher and Peter Ojemen among those carrying knocks.

Speaking on Monday, he said: “We are looking at one or two areas that we might try to get cover in terms of injuries.

“We are just waiting on a few [injury] reports and then we will just take it from there and see what we are going to do in the next week or two.

“But I’m happy with the squad we have got. It’s got some experience in it and some youth as well.

“But now, it’s about seeing where we can add to it.”

At Woodstock, Margate led when a trialist - due to remain with the club this week before a decision is made on his future - netted in the ninth minute before an own goal gave them a second after the restart.

Drury said: “In the couple of games before that, we have been unlucky in terms of the injuries we