Margate manager Mark Stimson wants team to display more creativity as Gate look to end 15-match winless run after 2-0 home loss to Bognor Regis Town

Manager Mark Stimson wants Margate to display more creativity in the final third as they aim to end their winless run.

Strugglers Gate are now without a victory in 15 matches after their 2-0 Isthmian Premier home defeat to Bognor last weekend.

Banned playmaker Ben Greenhalgh and sidelined skipper Sam Blackman (calf) have proved costly absentees in recent games.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Stimson, of Margate’s wait to taste success again. “There’s been times in certain games where we think we’re going to get the win.

“All we can do is dust ourselves down and go into the next game, thinking we can win.

“But you need to be good in both boxes to do that and, for me, the hardest thing is the creative side of the game. We all want to win and it’s been a long wait.

“Obviously, I have been in charge of seven games and someone has told me it was eight games before that. We just need to keep going.

“We haven’t been able to make many additions. We’re waiting on answers this week from two or three we’re speaking to.

“Sam is probably 50-50 for the weekend and Ben has got one game left of his suspension. Fingers crossed, this time next week we will have them back.”

Margate sit narrowly above the relegation zone, despite having played more league fixtures than three of the four sides below them this term.

“I will not look at the league until 10 games - but then, you need to look at who you’re around and who is playing who,” Stimson stated.

“We managed to get games on over Christmas, like the Cray one on astroturf and some at home. We are where we are.

“We don’t want to be where we are - we’re not looking at that with any joy at all. We want to change things and climb up the table.”

Bognor drew first blood at Hartsdown Park through