Mark Stimson speaks following his departure as Margate manager after Isthmian Premier relegation is confirmed with 5-3 defeat at Billericay Town; Teenage forward Vinnie Bowman on trial with West Ham United

Departing Margate manager Mark Stimson has spoken of his frustration after the club’s Isthmian Premier relegation was confirmed.

Stimson was sacked by Gate after their season-ending 5-3 loss at Billericay on Saturday. They finished fourth from bottom.

The ex-Gillingham boss replaced Reece Prestedge in early December and, despite their much-improved form towards the end of the campaign, was unable to keep the Hartsdown Park club up.

“Frustrated,” said Stimson on how he felt after his Margate exit. “If I’m being honest, and I try to be honest with everybody, that’s what I feel.

“All managers ask for a bit of time. During my short spell at Margate, if you look at the last eight games, we have finally got a formula capable of doing what it was doing.

“The last eight games, we had four wins, two draws and two losses, and those losses were to the champions (Hornchurch) and Billericay. The last eight games show we were on the right track but, unfortunately, it was too late.

“You work extremely hard - and I know a lot of people have worked extremely hard behind the scenes at the club - so I’m just very frustrated for them as well.”

Stimson feared the worst for Margate’s survival prospects as winger Kadell Daniel headed off on international duty with Guyana in mid-March after a 3-0 defeat at Carshalton.

He said: “Losing 3-0 at Carshalton, having a player (Daniel) then go away on international duty and others unavailable, you think ‘Cor, we’re really going to have to put a shift in here’.

“That’s when I decided to bring some other lads in. I brought some youth over from Dartford and one in from our youth team, Gabriel Duo.

“He has been fantastic lately, along with Fyn [Rutherford].

“You get highs and lows with young ones but you