By Darius Sarrafan
Ramsgate battled to a 2-1 win away at Eastbourne Town to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. It was, in truth, an attritional – however the Rams dug deep to come away with all three points. Three changes were made to the team that beat Sevenoaks Town in midweek, with Roarie Deacon, Lewis Gard and Josh Ajayi starting in place of Myles Judd, Lee Martin and Benny Bioletti.
Eastbourne Town started the game brightly, and had a couple of half chances to take the lead early on. Firstly, James Ding had a shot blocked by Joe Ellul, who was a brick wall throughout the game. James Hull was then put clear down the left, but his shot was well saved at the near post by Tom Hadler.
Ramsgate had their first chance of the game on fifteen minutes. An Alfie Paxman free kick was half cleared, and the ball was hooked back into Ajayi at the back post. His shot was then well saved down low by home keeper Chris Winterton. Eleven minutes later, the Rams had the lead. TJ Jadama played the ball to Joe Taylor on the left side of the penalty box, and he rolled his man in typical fashion before finishing into the far corner from twelve yards out. Chances were few and far between in the first half – with patterns of play hard to come by.
The second half started in a similar fashion, but the Rams came out of the blocks quickly in search of a second goal. Jadama had a goalbound shot well blocked before that second goal arrived on 54 minutes. Ellul was clearly fouled in the area from a free kick, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Taylor stepped up and confidently sent Winterton the wrong way to double the away side’s lead.
Eastbourne went searching for a route back into the game, bombarding the penalty area with high balls – and it was one of these high balls that resulted in them pulling a goal back on 68 minutes. Substitute Freddie Warren curled a ball in from the right, and Tom Hadler’s punch fell kindly onto the head of Hull, who nodded home from eight yards to make it 2-1.
Ramsgate came within inches of making the points safe on 82 minutes, after a lovely through ball from Jadama put Ajayi through on goal. His curling effort beat Winterton but unfortunately crashed off the post and stayed out. The hosts huffed and puffed, but the Rams held firm late on to record yet another victory. They are next in action this coming Tuesday night away to Ashford United.
Ramsgate: Hadler, Deacon, Ellul, Leader, Clifford, Munday, Gard (Martin), Jadama, Ajayi, Paxman, Taylor. Subs: Garrett, Barnes, Judd, Newcombe.
