Margate's season came to an end despite an excellent display in their play-off game at Burgess Hill on Tuesday night.

The result went the way of the final Isthmian South East table as third-place Hill defeated fourth-place Gate.

But that failed to tell the picture of a game that could have easily gone the other way as the visitors had the upper hand in the first hour.

Margate had the upper hand in the first half, player-boss Ben Greenhalgh sending a fourth-minute free-kick just wide from 25 yards.

Brandon Davey then played in Tushaun Walters who dragged his shot wide and Tom Derry's header down from a Greenhalgh centre had to be hacked clear from the six-yard box.

Burgess Hill had plenty of rotation and movement in forward areas but Gate coped with it admirably and they were unable to create any chance of note.

When Martyn Box did play in Jay Beckford on 26 minutes, his low shot was blocked by the legs of keeper Tom Wray but the offside flag was already up.

Burgess Hill went ahead in fortunate circumstances on 33 minutes. Margate initially cleared a right-wing cross but the ball was worked into Box, whose 20-yard shot deflected past the hapless Wray to give the hosts an undeserved lead.

Greenhalgh was on a one-man mission to drag his team back into the contest. His 40th-minute cross-shot hit the top of the bar twice before bouncing over for a goal kick.

Then he nearly caught out keeper Slav Huk with a free-kick from near the halfway line. Everyone expected the ball to be delivered into the box but spotting that Hak had strayed off his line, Greenhalgh went for goal and the keeper scrambled back to his line to save it in time.

The visitors must have gone in at the break wondering how they were behind.

Greenhalgh continued in similar fashion after the break, his devilish cross immediately after the restart was headed clear in the six-yard box - the hosts defended resolutely throughout.

Then a low cross by Kai Garande was headed goalwards by Greenhalgh but Huk made a comfortable save.

The killer second goal came just past the hour mark, the one time that Hill's slick pass and move football unlocked the Gate defence as Kieran Rowe played in Bobby Price to score from a tight angle.

The goal took the wind out of Margate's sails and Burgess Hill started to play with the swagger of a team that finished third in the table - and could have easily won the title in a different season.

Gate were indebted to an excellent late save to deny substitute Ben Pope adding a third from a corner late on.

Margate got nothing from the officials throughout, a point emphasised in the fifth minute of stoppages when Harrison Hatfull was taken out in the box by a late Rowe challenge - and neither the referee or his assistant gave a penalty.

Burgess Hill were reduced to 10 men in the seventh minute of stoppages when Pope was shown a straight red card for a foul.

Burgess Hill: Huk, Morrison, Price (Ward 70mins), Cooper, Dobbs, Rowe, Worrall, O'Neill (Pope 63mins), Beckford (Vukojie 75mins), Whelpdale (Brewer 86mins), Box. Sub not used: Lawson.

Margate: Wray, Hatfull, Hudson, Walters (Brand 83mins), Olutade (Walsh 75mins), Greenhalgh, Knight (Allen 89mins), Davey (Sterling 90+4mins), Blackman (Atkins 75mins), Garande, Derry.

Referee: Andrew Dunn.

Attendance: 1,439.