Margate player-manager Ben Greenhalgh pleased most with new-found defensive resolve after 4-0 FA Cup win against Loxwood despite bagging hat-trick himself

Player-boss Ben Greenhalgh might be known for his goalscoring - but it’s Margate’s new-found defensive resolve which is pleasing him most.

Gate progressed to the FA Cup first qualifying round with a 4-0 weekend home win over Loxwood, having been held to an opening-day goalless Isthmian South East draw by East Grinstead.

While Greenhalgh got off the mark for the campaign with a hat-trick himself, he was keen to point to the work put in by young goalkeeper Tom Wray and Margate’s backline.

“The biggest positive from Saturday again was the clean sheet,” he said. “Two clean sheets from two games is massive.

“Last year, in total, Margate got four clean sheets - and we’re getting close to that tally already! It’s something that we knew we needed to get right.

“It’s not perfect yet - there’s going to be games where we’re going to be tested - and, obviously, this weekend is going to throw up a few difficult games.

“We were creating a lot of chances on Saturday, like we did the previous weekend against East Grinstead, but we were putting them in the back of the net this time around.

“That’s really important.”

Of course, surpassing the 2023/24 clean sheet tally during their Isthmian Premier campaign which ended in relegation should be a simple task.

On the number of shut-outs Gate’s management team want this term, Greenhalgh revealed: “Our target is 15.

“If we’re being honest, having looked at all the statistics, if you want to have a good league campaign, you need 15.

“Then when you look at the FA Cup and other competitions as well, if you want to have a really
good season as a group, you’re probably pushing more towards the 20 mark. That’ll be a brilliant target for us to hit.

“But if you want to be successful and want to keep