By pitchside reporter Andy Mason
Ramsgate 0 Sheppey United 0
An overcast day at the WW Martin Community stadium for the battle of the Islands, with Rams having won all their home games thus far in the league, Sheppey will be in for a tough time. A full-strength Rams side who top the table hosting sixth placed Sheppey known as the Ites.
Pre-match presentations as Ben Smith and Reion McFarland receive the third manager of the month award from Isthmian league director Neil Pilcher (above), that’s three in a row for Smith.
Tom Hadler also receives Rams player of the month award from club secretary Kevin Barham (pictured below).
Rams have beaten the Ites twice this season, a four-one home win in the FA Trophy and a one nil away league victory.
The Ites kick off attacking the town end of the ground, a dogged affair from the start as both sides set out their tactics. The Ites start the attacking in the third minute going into the Rams area forcing Tom Hadler into an early low save to his left.
Rams respond sending Jordan Green on a run down the right wing. He gets the better of Frankie Del Morgan at left back, Green shoots the ball, deflected across goal, hitting the corner flag and staying in play. Crossed back in, Joe Taylor lays off for Mike West to shoot, blocked for a Rams corner.
Eighth minute, Green chases a ball down the right wing, he gets to the ball but goes down, a recurrence of his hamstring injury, hopefully just a twinge as he’s only just come back from injury.
Benny Bioletti replaces the injured Green.
Thirteenth, Aidan Prail does outstandingly well as Taylor goes down the middle but Prail manages to steer him away from goal allowing his defence to regroup. Rams are putting plenty of pressure on the Ites, Alfie Paxman with a power strike Prail has to punch.
Seventeenth, Rams lovely passing move down the left, ball in for Taylor he shoots toward the near post, Prail with an excellent save again for a Rams corner.
Rams need to capitalise on this pressure but alas they have been unable to convert their chances and at times have overplayed the ball.
Ites having weathered the early Rams attacks, start coming back. Jacob Lambert has a pot shot from range, although directly at Hadler, then Javaun Splatt has a chance in front of goal, he pulls his shot wide.
Approaching the half hour mark Jack Parter for the Rams has a shot from the edge of the box, the ball travelling through a crowd of players, Prail sees it late and scrambles across to make another great low save. Rams seem to be queuing up around the Ites area, playing very pretty tappy-tappy football but no end product as Ites are well organised.
Thirty fourth, Ites break from defence to attack the ball played up to Richard Hamill on the left wing. He fires a cross that travels right through the Rams box, evading attackers and defenders alike.
One last attack in the half as Benny Bioletti chases down a long forward pass and wins a corner. The corner in from A Paxman in swinging, plucked out of the air by an authoritative Prail.
Taylor gets the second half underway. Rams immediately attack and are awarded a free kick to the right-hand edge of the area. The ball played into the area by A Paxman, cleared by Olamilekan Majoyegbe, who’s been having a really good game at the back limiting Taylor to just one shot thus far.
Fiftieth, Ites a good move forwarded finds Splatt in the box, he’s allowed to turn and gets a shot away blocked behind for Ites first corner of the game. Rams are able to clear as the corner is played in.
Fifty sixth, Bioletti chases down a long ball, beats the defender, tries to cross in but Ites have a man in the way to clear. The game now moving back and forth at pace, neither side getting clear cut opportunities.
Sixty ninth, Rams bring Medy Elito on replacing Jack Parter, moving A Paxman to a left back position. Ites see this as an opportunity and do attack down the left, a great Crossfield ball from right to left, as the cross comes in Lambert has strayed just offside.
Rams play a ball down the right for Bioletti who is caught from behind going to ground just outside the penalty area. Free kick played toward the back post, Ites defend.
Eightieth, fantastic play by Taylor as he holds off Majoyegbe, turns him and manages to cross but no Ram in the area. Rams go again as Elito gets a ball through to Bioletti. He shots but the power comes off the shot as it travels on the pitch giving Prail an easy save.
Into added time, Ites going forward fire in from thirty yards directly at Hadler for a comfortable catch.
Rams pick up another injury as West goes down with a dislocated shoulder. He’s replaced by Bode Anidugbe, with just seconds remaining.
The full-time whistle blows. Rams must be frustrated having created the better opportunities. But for Prail may well have got a result. On the balance of play the nil all draw is probably the only outcome.
Rams drop points at the WW Martin community stadium for the first time this season.
Attendance: 1127
RFSA player of the match: Jack S Paxman
The Teams:
RAMS: 1Tom Hadler, 3Jack Parter, 5Craig Stone, 8Jack A Paxman, 9Joe Taylor, 10Jordan Green, 11Alfie Paxman, 15Lee Martin, 16Jack S Paxman, 17Mike West, 18Dan Johnson
Subs: 4Sinnkaye Christie, 6Bode Anidugbe, 7Benny Bioletti, 14Medy Elito, 20Tijan Jadama
ITES: 1Aiden Prall, 2Joseph Ganiwa, 3Frankie Del Morgan , 4Olamilekan Majoyegbe, 6Richard Hamill, 8Connor Wilkins, 9Daniel Bradshaw, 10Javaun Splatt, 12Jacob Lambert, 18James Taylor, 20Zacharia Dainkeh Jr
Subs: 11James Bessey-Saldanha, 14Oladipo Durowoju, 15Teddy McIntyre, 19D’Jean Spencer
Ramsgate next in action:
Sat 3 Feb A Hythe Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 10 Feb H Merstham Isthmian South East 3pm
Tue 13 Feb A Horndean Isthmian South East 7.45pm
For away travel contact Steve Miller on 07508-364101