Regent lined up with Turner in goal; O’Reilly, Boyland, Jamie Bennet and Joe Heron in a back four; Crisell, Barnett, and newcomers Adam Topley and Kane Gilbert in midfield with Khris Oti and Valter Rocha up front. Rocha’s radical hair surgery took everyone by surprise.

On the bench were Emmanuel Osei-Asomah, Mo Gelashvili, Jerry Kamanzi, Jack Mahon and Lewis Byrne-Hewitt.

Margate are an experienced side who must expect to do well in the league and they kicked off in a snazzy white strip with diagonal blue and purple stripes.

The visitors dominated the early exchanges, despite Khris Oti’s powerful run through early on, so the pressure was all on Regent.

After ten minutes Margate went ahead when Finn O’Reilly was bundled over and Luke Carey scored from the edge of the penalty area.

Margate continued to press for a second and Regent’s response was limited by attackers repeatedly being flagged offside.

Oti did get through at the by-line but nobody anticipated his pass to the near post.

Good attempts from Margate’s Sessegnon and Ufuah were well saved by Turner and then another challenge meant that, halfway through the half, Emmanuel Osei-Asomah came on for Finn O’Reilly. Everyone took a drinks break.

A revitalised Regent emerged. Kane Gilbert won two corners, Rocha forced a save from the goalkeeper and Oti worked his way across the box, stumbling under heavy challenges until he got a shot away.

Spectators wondered if going down from one of the challenges might have given a clearer opportunity from the resulting free kick.

Regent continued to press, and out of nowhere Bennett lobbed the ball over the Margate defence, but beyond the forwards’ reach. Nobody reacted as the ball bounced forward and the goalkeeper made no attempt to collect it as the ball rebounded off the post.

So, despite ending the half a goal behind, Regent had the better of the final 20 minutes of the first half.

Both sides made substitutions after the break with Bancroft coming on for Margate and Jerry Kamanzi replacing James Crisell for Regent

Regent started the second half brightly. Rocha had a good shot in the first minute and a foul by Margate conceded a free kick taken by Kane Gilbert which rebounded off the post. Then Oti got through on the left and again his shot hit the woodwork.

More pressure from Regent led to a three on two breakaway by Margate and this time it was Regent who were relieved to see the ball only hit the post.

Margate came back and won a corner when Kane Gilbert went down taking a ball in the face. The corner was cleared, but only to Margate’s Bancroft, who drove the ball into the net.

Two minutes later Regent were back in the game, when Rocha jinked through the defence and opened his account for Regent.

After more attempts by Regent the hardworking Oti was replaced by Lewis Byrne-Hunt and the game was taken to the visitors until the last ten minutes when Joe Heron pulled his hamstring crossing the ball and had to go off with all three substitutes having already been used.

Good work down the right by Osei-Asomah and Rocha put Lewis Byrne Hunt away and the Regent support were frustrated to see his fierce shot crash off the post to safely. Then in a goalmouth scramble, Kamanzi wasn’t able to connect the ball.

In injury time, Margate did get the ball in the net for a third time but from an offside position.

Match Verdict
After a difficult first thirty minutes Regent got their act together and were unlucky that four good attempts were denied by the post.

Valter Rocha’s fine goal shows he can hit the target and Khris Oti provided the strong centre forward play that Regent have lacked for a long time. Regent need to take this forward into the Tuesday night FA Cup tie at Bury Town..