Margate suffered a humiliating home defeat against FA Cup giant-killers Whitehawk at a wet and windswept Hartsdown Park on Saturday.

Terry Brown's side twice came from behind in the first half before conceding four goals without reply to their Vanarama National League South rivals for whom Scott Neilson hit a 22-minute hat-trick.

The result must put huge pressure on manager Brown, whose side have won just once in eight league matches at Hartsdown this season and are in the bottom four with just three wins from 16 outings ahead of Tuesday's home match with Bath City.

Margate made a positive start forcing two corners in the opening seconds but they were stunned in the fourth minute when Whitehawk struck from their first attack.

Sam Deering's free-kick was headed on by Dean Leacock and Arnaud Mendy forced the ball home with the Gate defence appealing vainly for offside.

Danny Mills could have doubled the Whitehawk lead on 13 minutes when he was sent clear but Gate keeper Nikki Bull stuck out an arm to make an excellent save.

Margate's first real shot in anger came on 15 minutes when Solomon Taiwo whipped a drive over after good work by Freddie Ladapo but five minutes later they were level.

Luke Moore played the ball in from the right to Kane Wills and he coolly side-footed home inside keeper Craig Ross's left hand post from 15 yards.

Soon after a fine Gate move ended with Taiwo shooting just wide of the far post from a Wills pass, but on 26 minutes Whitehawk regained the lead when Jordan Rose stabbed home after Mendy's deep deflected cross had looped to him at the far post.

Gate goalscorer Wills then tested Ross from distance before the Gate levelled for a second time five minutes before half-time.

Whitehawk keeper Ross did well to save from Christian Jolley but the ball broke to Ladapo who rifled home into the top corner from a tight angle.

All Margate's good work unravelled in the first 10 minutes of the second half as Whitehawk striker Scott Neilson punished some poor defending to score twice.

His first came on 52 minutes when he smashed the ball at the far post after two earlier efforts had been blocked and three minutes later he struck again as the ball was cut back from the byline.

It got worse on the hour when Sam Deering's deep floated corner was allowed to reach the far post where it appeared to hit Rose and go in.

The Gate continued to keep playing but created few clear-cut chances and Whitehawk added a sixth goal in the 74th minute when Neilson completed his hat-trick with a 25-yard screamer.

The home side could have had a late consolation when Wills teed-up Jolley but his effort was cleared off the line.

Margate: Bull, Wilson (sub, L. Taylor 64mins), N. Green, Hunt, Goodman, Johnson (sub, Wassmer 67mins), Taiwo, Wills, Ladapo, Jolley, Moore; Subs: Rents, D. Green, J. Taylor.

Whitehawk: Ross, Arnold, Sessegnon, Mendy, Leacock, Rose, Deering, Ijaha (Ngamvoulou 82mins), Robinson, Mills (Stevens 75mins), Neilson; Subs: Hawkins.

Attendance: 590