Margate manager Mark Stimson insists he has seen enough from squad to believe they can secure Isthmian Premier survival ahead of big games at Cheshunt and Carshalton Athletic

Manager Mark Stimson insists he has seen enough from Margate’s squad to believe they can secure Isthmian Premier survival.

Gate, who dropped into the bottom four as they lost 4-2 at Hashtag United last weekend, have won only once since Stimson took charge last December and have taken just six points from their last 16 matches.

While Stimson concedes they desperately need to start delivering 90-minute displays, he has taken heart from spells in games, such as Ben Greenhalgh’s late brace at Hashtag United. The visitors had trailed 4-0 before playmaker Greenhalgh struck twice in the second half to move to 10 goals for the season.

Asked if he still felt Gate would avoid the drop, Stimson replied: “Of course.

“They do show it in games - like Saturday. Looking at it now, it’s not worth anything, but we won the second half 2-1. It shows they can do it.

“The weekend before, we played Horsham who are fifth in the table and it was 2-1 and we’re in the game and our captain (Sam Blackman) gets sent off (ultimately losing 3-1). We beat Canvey Island 3-2.

“But we cannot do it in 20-minute spells, especially at the beginning of games. We need to stay in games and not give ourselves a mountain to climb.”

With league fixtures starting to run out, Margate were due to visit relegation rivals Cheshunt tonight and travel to play-off chasing Carshalton this Saturday.

Stimson, whose 19th-placed team have also played more games than most around them, said: “Things need to change sooner rather than later.

“Someone said at the weekend, if we lose at Cheshunt, that could be the end. I don’t see that because it’s still not mathematically impossible.

“But, if we beat Cheshunt, these games are not worth anything if we lose the eight after that.

“We