Margate continued their 100% start to the season with a convincing win as three different goal scorers shared five goals between themselves.

Terry Brown made no changes from his side’s 3-1 win over East Thurrock United on Tuesday, this meant that Ryan Moss and Zac Attwood remained as Margate’s striking partnership and Luke Moore played in a supporting role behind the two forwards. The hosts had won all of their four games so far this season and they hoped to keep the pressure on fellow Kent side Maidstone who were the only side in the league to boast the same record.

Although Margate knew what was possible if they were to win, they began the game by playing positive, attacking and possession based football, their confident style of play rewarded them six minutes into the match when Kane Wills’ quickly taken corner was delightfully turned in from the edge of the area by Zac Attwood, the striker was able to wrap his foot around the ball and place his shot into the opposite top corner, clipping the crossbar as it flew in.

Billericay were given no time to breathe in the opening period of the game and just three minutes later Ryan Moss doubled his teams lead. The striker who joined Margate earlier this year found himself unmarked in the penalty area and he was able to loop his header from Jack Bennett’s cross over Billy Lumley to give Margate a two goal lead.

After getting their second goal of the game, the hosts continued to search for a way forward, they kept possession between defence and midfield well and patiently looked for a way to carve open the Billericay defence. They were rewarded after twenty minutes when a good move on the right wing gave Charlie Allen his fourth league goal of the season, Kane Wills was able to find Luke Moore on the right wing, which his free role allowed him to do, Moore then ran at George Bevan in the Blues’ left side of defence before pulling a pass back into the path of Allen who slid his low shot across the goalkeeper.

Although they looked unstoppable going forward, Margate’s defence seemed less efficient, as the first half went on Billericay began to push forward when they had the chance, Seedy Njie looked the most dangerous and soon after the Gate’s third goal he was able to win the ball from the host’s defence before his cross from the left was vitally blocked by Charlie Wassmer.

This seemed to wake Billericay up and soon a steady stream of chances were created from their powerful strikers, after a pass into the area from midfield Chris Benjamin was able to turn past his marker and fire a shot across Nikki Bull’s right post.

Despite the sudden pressure, Margate didn’t seem to be phased; just before half time Charlie Allen had a chipped shot well tipped wide and Luke William’s powerful free kick was saved by Billy Lumley meaning that Margate went into half time 3-0 up.

They began the second half as they ended the first, however, despite some good build up play in midfield, players such as Wills and Allen were unable to complete the final pass to their clinical attacking team mates.

It took thirteen minutes of the second half before Margate were able to extend their lead even further; a long pass forward from their defence directed at Zac Attwood was helped by Ryan Scott’s slip. With no pressure from behind him, Attwood had plenty of time to wait for support and it came when Ryan Moss galloped into the area, Attwood found his attacking partner who passed the ball into the net to score his team’s fourth of the afternoon.

After Margate scored their fourth goal Terry Brown made three substitutions in quick succession, this slowed down the game and stopped either team from gaining any momentum as the final period of the game approached.

After the game was slowed down, Margate’s free flowing style of play was forced to be stopped, this meant that Billericay were able to exploit the slower style of play and they were able to get a goal back after Richard Halle leaped highest from a corner to cut the lead down to three.

Although their win was all but confirmed, Margate continued to push forward and they scored their final goal of the game after some quick passing on the right wing. After they fooled George Bevan Lewis Taylor put a low cross towards the near post, however, the Billericay defence was unable to deal with it, meaning the ball came to the onrushing Charlie Allen to score his second of the day and Margate’s fifth.

That convincing win for Margate puts them top of the Ryman League Premier on goal difference after Maidstone beat Bury Town 1-0; their 5 game winning streak is also their best since the 2012- 13 season after they were unable to achieve the feat last season. They will now travel Lewes on Bank Holiday Monday as they look to continue their good start to the season before Leiston travel to Hartsdown Park next Saturday.

Margate: Bull, Taylor, Bennett, Allen, Wassmer, Johnson, Williams (Cash), Wills (Phipp), Moss (Prior), Attwood, Moore

Subs not used: Stuart, Beales

Billericay Town: Lumley, O’Hanlon, Beavan, Dunne (Mahler), Halle, Scott, Pooley (Edwards), Poole, Njie, Benjamin (Appiah), Shaw

Subs not used: Sappleton, Sheenan

Attendance: 799