Margate 3 Dagenham 3

MARGATE were forced to settle for a point after conceding two goals in the last eight minutes against Dagenham in the Nationwide Conference on Saturday.

Gate were leading 3-1 at the Hoverspeed Stadium but, in an explosive finale, Dagenham levelled things up through goals by Chris Moore and Danny Shipp, while Gate had John Keister sent off for violent conduct in the final minute.

The start of the game was almost as frantic as the end with three goals in the first 20 minutes.

Following a 9-0 drubbing at the hands of Hereford a week earlier, Dagenham’s confidence would have been fragile.

Gate showed them no mercy from the off and scored after only 72 seconds

Rocky Baptiste capitalised on a poor back past and fired the ball into the net past visiting keeper Tony Warner.

They doubled their lead five minutes later when Adrian Clarke scored from the penalty spot after Darren Watson was brought down in the box.

The visiting fans must have feared a repeat of the previous week, but their nerves were settled after 12 minutes when Moore’s cross was nodded by Mark Jenney to Jimmy Jackson who headed the ball home.

Gate were undeterred by conceding the goal and Baptiste found Sigere and he smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range on 20 minutes.

In the second half, Gate found themselves with their backs to the wall as Dagenham threw everything forward.

Jackson hit the crossbar with a shot after 57 minutes, but it wasn’t until the 82nd minute that they got their second goal when Moore tucked away Shipp’s low cross.

Three minutes later Shipp then scored himself from a Leon Braithwaite cross.

The momentum was now with Dagenham, but the home side held on for a draw.

Margate: Smith, Oates, Edwards, Annon, Porter, Leberl, Clarke, Keister, Sigere (Whitby 90 mins), Watson (Stadhart 71 mins), Baptiste. Sub not used: Venter.