Player-manager Ben Greenhalgh is looking at the positives as Margate face up to a busy period of early-season fixtures.

The Isthmian South East side have four games to play in an 11-day period.

They begin that run with tonight’s midweek home FA Cup preliminary round replay against Cobham before a trip to Isthmian South Central Egham Town in the FA Trophy on Friday night.

It’s back to league action on Bank Holiday Monday at Ashford, with another match to come next weekend.

“The main thing is we’re just making sure there’s a bit more improvement from each game,” said Greenhalgh after last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Cobham. “We’re trying to get back to where we were last year - but adding a bit more, as well.

“If we continue to improve, these players will get more goals and we’ll pick up more points.

“I pulled a few players before the game on Saturday and TT (Walters) was one of them. He has got so much quality and that was the levels we want from him.

“As a group, we need to get the ball to the attackers a bit more and with a bit more quality. But it’s something that’s going to take time.

“It won’t happen overnight so the replay on Tuesday is a good opportunity to go again.

“We’ve had four goals from our first four games, and we’ve had four different goalscorers.

“But all of those players, including myself, want to have more than one goal at this stage of the season. We just want to keep progressing.

“I think Cobham were a pretty good team but, at the same time, we had seven serious goalscoring opportunities on Saturday.

“Normally, you would expect to score from at least three or four of them. It just shows, as we keep playing, we’re learning a little bit more from each game.

“Now, we have got four games in 11 days to keep on gelling and keep building.”

Walters and fellow forward Ibrahim Olutade set one another up for Gate’s two goals at Cobham but, after midfielder Sam Blackman saw a second-half strike get ruled out for offside, the hosts grabbed an injury-time equaliser.

Greenhalgh said: “I said about expecting them to be up for it - and they were. It was just annoying we let in a late goal.

“I don’t think we were very clinical but, at the same time, we’ve still scored two goals.

“So, there were positives to take.”

Egham have lost their first two league matches, ahead of Margate’s visit in the Trophy preliminary round.

The sides had agreed to move the tie forward to give them more time to prepare for respective matches on Monday but, ironically, now both have midweek FA Cup replays to contend with first. Egham drew 2-2 at Southern Counties East League Premier Division Corinthian last weekend.

“We felt that would be helpful for the Ashford game - but now, we’ve got the replay this week,” said Greenhalgh. “We know a little bit about them.

“They drew with Corinthian, I know people at Corinthian, so Egham have got a similar situation. I think, on Friday, both teams will be managing players.

“But at the same time, we don’t want to disrespect the Trophy.”

Both Gate and Ashford, two of the pre-season promotion favourites, sit on one point apiece from their first two league matches of the campaign.

Greenhalgh stated: “We looked around in the summer at what’s going on in the league.

“We all agreed it would be a lot stronger and Ashford will definitely want to be up there. They made some really good signings and they’re always a big club.

“Playing Sittingbourne and Ashford - away from home, as well, in the first three (league) games - isn’t ideal but you need to be up for it.

“The good thing is Ashford have got a good 3G pitch.

“These are the games you want to play in.”

Margate will face an FA Cup first qualifying round derby at Deal on Saturday, August 30, if they get past Cobham.