Both Beckenham Town and Margate came into the Isthmian League South East Division match unbeaten but it was the visitors who won the match to extend their early season run.

To add insult to the Becks’ injury, both goals were scored by Harvey Brand, a former player of theirs.

In the early stages, Margate won a couple of corners that came to nothing however it was the hosts that had the first clear cut chance. Tyler Anderson found Jamarie Brissett and his clever footwork gave him an opportunity to shoot low but Tom Wray got down well to make an excellent save. 

Anderson was again the creator in Beckenham’s next opening when his low cross picked out Isaac Thompson whose flick shot went narrowly wide of the near post.

Ben Greenhalgh, Margate’s player-manager, fired just over at the end of a move started by Brand’s clever skills which wrong-footed the Beckenham defence. Then Brandon Davey fired well over from thirty yards after a Greenhalgh free kick was headed out.

Midway through the first half, Margate’s football worked the Becks’ back line again and Lukas Franzen-Jones found Brand with a clear sight of goal. He needed no second invitation and although Sam Freeman got a hand to it, the shot was too well struck by the Gate midfielder, and it flew into the net.

Wray had to be alert when a loose back pass exposed him to Steve Townsend’s run. The Margate goalkeeper rushed out but hit his hurried clearance into Townsend’s legs and was relieved to see it rebound wide.

Davey again shot well over before Margate should probably have added a second when Lewis Knight headed just wide from a Franzen-Jones cross.

Immediately after the break, there was an incident that could have changed the course of the game. Beckenham’s Akheem Belford appeared to have been hauled down in the Margate penalty area however the referee saw nothing untoward and waved play on.

Franzen-Jones sent a fierce drive into the side netting before having a shot deflected wide. The resulting corner brought about Margate’s second. Greenhalgh delivered and Freeman, under pressure in a crowded six yard box, punched it out as far as Brand. He headed it back in and although Beckenham tried to clear it, they were unable to do so before it crossed the line.

Although they huffed and puffed, Beckenham were unable to create a clear cut opportunity and they were indebted to Freeman, who made a good save from Greenhalgh’s free kick, to keep the deficit to two.

As the game moved into the latter stages, Margate were happy to settle with what they had and to limit the hosts to scraps. Thompson’s header deflected off Kai Garande and floated into the arms of Wray before Freddie Nyhus attempted curler didn’t bend enough and went wide. Becks’ substitute Henry Griffin failed to get a clean connection on a shot and Wray collected it and the Gate saw out the remaining time for the victory.

Despite their defeat, Beckenham remain top while Margate’s win moved them up to seventh place.

Beckenham Town: Freeman, Nyhus, Belford, Wanogho, Hever, Carter, Anderson (Hernandez-Mejia 90), Morgan-Griffiths, Thompson, Brissett, Townsend (Griffin 76).

Subs not used: Pritchard, Agoro.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow card: None

Margate: Wray, Hatful, Garande, Duo (Rutherford 46), Knight, Hudson, Davey, Brand, Franzen-Jones (Bessey-Saldanha 76), Olutade (Atkins 84), Greenhalgh.

Subs not used: Craig, Sterling.

Goalscorers: Brand (22), (49)

Yellow card: Davey

Referee: Callum Parke

Assistants: Promise Phillips and Dwayne Uylett

Attendance: 248