Margate skipper David Hunt has described this season as the maddest and weirdest in his 15-year career.

The 33-year-old defender scored his opening goal for the club - and his first since 2011 - to put Margate on the way to their 4-3 win over Hemel Hempstead on Saturday.

Hunt got them off to a perfect start with a direct free-kick inside the first minute as Gate ended their 10-match losing streak and take their battle to avoid an immediate return to the Ryman League to the last day of the season.

He said: "Better late than never, you could see by the celebration that I was a little bit shocked.

"It was a testing, exciting game, and we did the job, but the fans probably had their hearts in their mouths at times.

"We have been practising free-kicks, trying to hit areas, getting them beyond the back four and across the keeper to cause problems, and thankfully it went in.

"I was delighted to contribute to the win, and get us off to a good start. It was my first of the season and long overdue."

"It's been a little while (since my last), since my Football League days with Crawley"

Reflecting on Gate's highs and lows this season, Hunt added: "It's been a rollercoaster - the most weirdest and maddest season I have ever been a part of.

"Unfortunately the club has lost it's way this season, and I have been at clubs before where that has happened."

He added: "The potential is here with the fan-base, and the players here. We are frustrated because we do believe we should be higher.

"Now we need to get ourselves out of this situation."

Gate travel to Bath on Saturday, but won't know exactly what's required until after fellow-strugglers Havant & Waterlooville play their game in hand at home to Truro on Thursday night.

Hunt added: "One season has come down to 90 minutes - I have been here before but going the other way when I was at Crawley

"We are going to embrace it - first thing to do is go training this week and get ourselves in the right mindset."

"I am embracing it because it is a test, I don't come here just to play - you want to win.

"We now go to Bath on the final day and it's going to be an interesting end to the season."