Player-manager Ben Greenhalgh took the gloves after Margate had keeper Tom Wray sent off in a 3-0 defeat at Isthmian South East leaders Three Bridges.
Greenhalgh, a midfielder by trade, stepped up following Wray’s 43rd-minute dismissal for handling outside his area.
And Gate found themselves with nine men after Sam Blackman saw red following an incident in the tunnel as the teams went off at half-time.
Greenhalgh conceded three times in the second half but made a number of excellent saves as Margate kept battling.
Jack Steventon equalised against his old club as Sittingbourne drew 1-1 at Herne Bay.
The Brickies, who’d moved into the play-offs after five successive wins under new manager Reece Prestedge, trailed to an early Zaid Al Hussaini goal.
But a Kent derby between two sides with promotion ambitions ended level when Steventon struck shortly after half-time.
Bourne remain fifth, with Bay four points back in eighth.
Ashford beat Beckenham 3-1 at Homelands in Craig Stone’s first game as interim manager.
Stone, in charge after co-owner Lloyd Hume stood down, saw Sam Hasler’s long-range cracker add to an early own goal as the Nuts & Bolts led 2-0 inside 18 minutes.
Thomas Hever quickly replied but evergreen Barry Fuller clinched victory with 13 minutes remaining, a result that moves Ashford up to 15th place.
Nuts & Bolts keeper Harry Brooks saved a first-half penalty from George Porter.
Sheppey’s nine-match unbeaten run ended with a 4-0 defeat at second-placed AFC Whyteleafe.
The Ites trailed at half-time to an early Eniola Hassan goal and when Helge Orome struck shortly after the restart, there was no way back for Kevin Watson’s in-form side.
Ryan Gondoh’s late double completed the scoring.
Two goals from Chris Regis helped VCD to a 5-2 home victory against Hassocks.
Regis struck in either half, with Victor Aiye, Theo Osinfolarin and Michael Fenn also on target.
Faversham’s game at Crowborough and the match between Erith Town and Deal were postponed due to waterlogged pitches.
Chatham moved to within two points of second-place Brentwood in the Isthmian Premier after a big home win.
Kofi Anokye-Boadi broke the deadlock just before half-time in a 4-0 victory over Burgess Hill.
Ollie Evans extended the lead and Chats pulled clear with a late Ben Allen double, including an injury-time penalty, an incident that saw Hillians keeper Roco Rees sent off.
Chatham are within striking distance of Brentwood, with a game in hand, following the Essex side’s defeat in a top-of-the-table clash at leaders Folkestone.
Fourth-placed Dartford were beaten by a 95th-minute Bobby Unwin strike in a 1-0 defeat at Lewes, while Cray Wanderers moved up to fifth after goals from Freddie Price and Saul Kader in a 2-0 success at struggling Potters Bar.
Ramsgate remain unbeaten under Lee Martin following a 1-1 draw with St Albans City at Southwood.
Leo Sery gave the visitors a half-time lead but Billy Munday levelled just after the break with his third goal in two league games.
Bradley Sach and Lewis Chambers scored on their debuts as Welling made it back-to-back wins in their survival bid with a 2-1 success at Whitehawk.
Sach gave Ryan Maxwell’s side a third-minute lead and Chambers made it two in added time before Charlie Lambert replied.
The Wings are now six points from safety.
Cray Valley continued their improvement as Dan Ajakaiye’s quickfire second-half double and a late strike from Ibby Akanbi earned a 3-0 win at Chichester.
The Millers climb two placed to 16th, three points clear of the bottom four.
