Staines Town 4 Margate 1

The visitors, battling hard to escape the drop zone, were on the receiving end of an early double strike from Staines, who netted in the eighth and 11th minutes.

Richard Butler had already sent a near post chance rather too close to goalkeeper Pat Mullin, before the first goal, which came from a penalty, confidently swept home by Darti Brown after Leroy Griffiths had been needlessly tripped in the area by Kieran Morris.

This was quickly followed by the first of Richard Butler’s three goals, stabbing in from close range after a Dean Thomas corner caused havoc in the Gate box and left Butler in plenty of space, but with an awkwardly bouncing ball to deal with.

Staines were able to dictate the rest of the half, Butler again going close, before he made it 3-0 on the half hour.

Chris Watters did the hard work, weaving into the box before seeing his low, powerful drive bravely saved by Mullin, but Butler was there to clip in the rebound.

The long throws of Margate’s Aaron Lacy on the right and Curtis Robinson on the left created their best chances, and Dan Stubbs saw a shot fly just over in the final moments of the first half after a neat lay-off by Joe Healy.

Before that, there had been a few moments of controversy, as Healy was booked for a clumsy challenge on Darti Brown, which left him with a bloodied nose, but the Staines player was then carded after some confusion over his return to the field, referee Lymer deeming that he did not have permission to do so.

Trent Phillips also got a talking to for voicing his opinion, before Margate’s Dan Stubbs was booked for a foul.

Staines continued on top in the final minutes, including the additional two.

There was no let up from the home side at the start of the second, Jake Newton battling through the Margate lines before Mullin bravely saved at his feet, and Butler saw his attempt on the rebound being diverted over the bar.

The home side stretched their lead to 4-0 on 54 minutes, and it marked Butler’s second hat-trick for the club.

Once again the visiting defence was undone by a corner, this one by Watters, and Butler bundled in from close range.

Margate made two substitutions in quick succession, immediately trumped by Staines who made all three at a stroke, for purely tactical reasons.

The fresh legs of Margate’s Aaron Quain twice tested Louis Wells from the flank, and the Staines ’keeper also dealt well with a punched clearance from Healy’s free-kick.

Staines sub Elliot Onochie felt he might have been awarded a penalty after he was tumbled in the box, but Staines only got a corner.

The fourth and final booking of a good spirited match saw H Newton’s name taken for a foul.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Margate scored the best goal of the match, a swift passing move being rounded off by a terrific low drive by Kenny Pratt, giving Wells no chance from the edge of the box.

It was a goal that sparked hurried a telephone call to the unlikely destination of Whitby Town, as Margate, despite finishing in the drop-zone, hoped that they would have the best record of the 12 relegated clubs at this level across the country, and thus would be best placed to benefit from any reprieve, for example from the proposed merger of the two Bath clubs in the Conference.

It transpired that Whitby had lost 3-0, which meant that their points tally and goal difference were identical to Margate’s, but the Yorkshire club have scored five more goals.

Vince Murphy from match sponsors Bullseye Ltd presented the man of the match bubbly to hat-trick hero Richard Butler.

Staines: Wells, J Newton, Gordon © (Sargent 66), Watters (Onochie 66), Butler, Scarlett, Cumberbatch, D Thomas (H Newton 66), D Brown, Coulson, Griffiths; unused Risbridger, S Taylor.

Margate: Mullin, Morris, Robinson, Haverson, Young ©, Wheatley (J Taylor 60), Lacey (Quain 59), Wilson, Healy, Pratt, Stubbs; unused Gregory, Corbishley, Wright (gk).

Ref: Colin J Lymer (Mayford); ARs Richard Hailstone (Ash) & Jim Paterson (Camberley).

Attendance: 384.