By Darius Sarrafan
Ramsgate produced a storming second half comeback to down Sittingbourne 4-2 on a rainy afternoon at the WW Martin Community Stadium.
The Rams made two changes from the side that brushed aside Southall in the FA Cup last week, with Jay Leader and Benny Bioletti coming in for Tom Clifford and Josh Ajayi.
The home side started the game in blistering fashion, with a trademark slick move from defence finding the excellent Lewis Gard in space on the left, and his cross was flicked home expertly by Bioletti to give the Rams a second minute lead, with the home fans in fine voice despite the torrential conditions.
The visitor’s relentless press soon clicked in to gear, and it was to play a big part in their equaliser on six minutes, with the ball being won back and worked out to the left side, where a cross found Troy Howard to finish high in to the net.
Rams were finding it difficult to get a foothold in the game, with Sittingbourne’s press continuing to cause problems, and they found themselves behind on 14 minutes. Again, a ball was crossed in from the left and Mitchell May nodded home, giving Tom Hadler no chance in the Rams goal.
Minutes later Gard had a goal bound shot blocked by a prone visiting defender as the Rams pushed for parity. After this frenetic start, the game calmed down as the rain got heavier, with Sittingbourne’s energy and ability to kill the game when they had to giving them the upper hand as the Rams looked to play their way back in to the game. The half fizzled out in the end in truth, with Sittingbourne leading 2-1 at the break.
The interval brought a welcome respite in the rain, and the Rams used this to their advantage to turn the game on its head with two goals in the space of three minutes at the start of the second half. Firstly, Aaron Barnes’ cross found an unmarked Tom Carlse at the back post, and his right footed shot on the turn found the net to give Ramsgate an equaliser on 47 minutes.
Two minutes later and the Rams hit the front, with a lovely ball down the line from Barnes finding TJ Jadama on the right wing, and his beautiful lobbed pass found Joe Taylor eight yards out, and the outcome was inevitable as he fired home to send the home faithful mad.
Ramsgate continued to push for more goals, and Taylor had a header cleared off the line shortly after as the game continued its ferocious pace. The Rams made their first sub on 66 minutes, with Joe Ellul making way for Josh Ajayi. Sittingbourne started to push for another equaliser, and only two stunning saves in quick succession from Hadler prevented them from finding one.
On 74 minutes, the Rams made the points safe. A corner was swung in to the box by Roarie Deacon, and Jay Leader’s header in to the danger area was bravely nodded home by Jadama for his second league goal in successive games.
Medy Elito, Vance Bola and Tom Clifford made late substitute appearances for Carlse, Taylor and Deacon and, bar a late effort steered wide by Howard, Sittingbourne had accepted their fate by this point. A thoroughly entertaining game finished 4-2 to the Rams.
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