By pitchside reporter Andy Mason
Sevenoaks Town 4 Ramsgate 2
Mensah 9 Paxman 73
Cadogan 58(p) Taylor 81
Baugh 99
Carr 90
A pleasant sunny day at the Bourne stadium, the travelling Ramsgate fans at least numbering 100 were all in good spirits and expectant of a great performance with all the new signings.
A lively start from both teams, it appeared that they were going full steam ahead from the off, Rams getting a ball up to Taylor who held the ball up and won the first corner of the game, Oaks had two men on Taylor and the threat was cleared up field.
9th min Oaks put a move together and a shot fired in by Mensah caught a deflection on the way, wrong footing Hadler and finishing in the back of the Rams net, not the start Rams were hoping for.
Rams pushed on, it really was an open game with two Oaks on Taylor all the time, a Rams free kick edge of the box put over by Martin, toward Taylor who was blocked.
Green cut in on the right side, going down in the box and getting a yellow for simulation, Oaks midfield were closing Rams down so quickly that they were unable to play a passing game, it was an excellent tactic and Rams seemed unable to break through.
The referee seemed to want to be centre stage which was not helping the flow of the match, blowing for innocuous fouls and then letting others go, not playing an advantage just ignoring them altogether.
Rams created a chance down the right as Green beat a couple and was then closed down. There had been few chances for either side with a couple of late free kicks all coming to nothing, ex Rams defenders were having good games on both flanks Miller- Neave & Aboagye controlling their respective sides. I would say that Oaks shaded the first half.
Rams started the second half on the offensive but the Oaks defence was holding firm. 57th Oaks finally got on the front foot and pressed in to the Rams box. Ellul was alleged to have fouled Francis and the referee awarded a penalty, there was no consultation with the linesman who had a far better view of the incident. Up stepped Cadogan to power a shot past Hadler to give Oaks a two goal advantage.
Rams struggled again to make any impression on the Oaks midfield and 69th they made a change – off for Elito and on Rams talisman Jadama to see if he could make a difference. There was an immediate impact as Rams won a free kick just outside the area slightly left of goal, Paxman (A) over the ball taking aim he smashed in a wonder strike giving Oaks keeper Tangara absolutely no chance as Rams pulled one back.
76th Martin for the Rams saw red after receiving two yellow cards reducing Rams to 10 men and still a goal down. Rams made another change as Ellul departed for Anidugbe with Rams going to three at the back and a more attacking setup.
Rams still pressed for an equaliser and 81st a super cross into the box to Taylor to crash the ball home and open his account and levelling the scores.
What happened next can only be described as Rams falling asleep. 89th min the defence seemed to go completely missing with two defender running into each other allowing Baugh to hit a sucker punch of a goal and restore Oaks lead, even worse to follow as Oaks break 90+3 they seemed to just carve through the Rams, a well placed cross found Carr with a well timed run to fire home Oaks fourth and extinguish any hope the Rams may have had.
Overall Rams came out second best.
Attendance: 257
Ramsgate player of the match: Alfie Paxman
The line ups:
Oaks
1Amadou Tangara, 2Jerald Aboagye, 3Karn Miller-Neave , 8Matthew Attenborough-Warren, 5Rian Bray, 6Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, 7Fumnaya Shomotun, 4Kieran Cadogan, 9Palace Francis, 10Emmanuel Mensah, 11Solomon Baugh
Subs: 12Jaiden Drake-Thomas, 13Andrew Norburn, 14Kyle De Silva, 15Daniel Carr, 20Osamudiamwen Jordan Aghatise
Rams
1Tom Hadler , 2Lee Martin , 3Jack Parter, 4Joe Ellul, 5Dan Johnson, 7Benni Bioletti, 9Joe Taylor, 10Jordan Green , 11Alfie Paxman, 14Medy Elito, 17Mike West
Subs: 6Bode Anidugbe, 8Jack Paxman, 15Monty Saunders, 19Freddie Oliver, 20Tijan Jadama
Ramsgate next in Action
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