Margate return to Emirates FA Cup action tomorrow (Saturday) as they welcome Bostik South Herne Bay to Hartsdown Park looking to book their place in the fourth qualifying round of this season’s competition. 

The Blues have overcome East Grinstead and Kings Langley to progress this far and will look to add Herne Bay to that list as they look to reach the final qualifying round for the third season in a row.

Margate come into the game on the back of a fantastic run of form which has seen them rise to 7th in the Bostik Premier league and remain unbeaten in eight games in all competitions including Wednesday night’s 2-0 win away to Leatherhead thanks to goals from Tom Mills and Jordan Chiedozie.

Manager Steve Watt will have Chiedozie available again but will be without the cup tied Jay May and long term injury Alex Flisher. Doubts remain over Jack Evans who continues his rehabilitation from an ankle injury picked up against Herne Bay earlier this month in the Kent Senior Cup.

Herne Bay are in good form in the Bostik South and also earned a fine mid-week win a 3-0 victory over Ashford United which saw them climb to 9th in the league table.

The Bay reached this stage of the competition with a fantastic 5-2 away win at Horsham. This will be the second time these two sides have met this season after the Blues despatched of Herne Bay in the Kent Senior Cup earlier this month 3-1 at Winch’s Field thanks to goals from Harry Stannard (2) and Liam Friend.

Kick off at Hartsdown Park is 3pm but we are opening the Hartsdown Bar at 12pm to show Huddersfield Town v Tottenham Hotspur as well as invite fans to come and watch the production of the Back of the Net Radio Show.