By Darius Sarrafan
Ramsgate suffered only their second league defeat of the season despite a brave performance, losing 3-2 away at Merstham on Tuesday night. One change was made to the side that drew at Burgess Hill on Saturday, with Benny Bioletti coming in for the injured Jefferson Aibangbee. Lee Martin also returned to the bench after a four game suspension.
The game started in cagey fashion, but the home side struck first in the seventh minute. Korrey Henry dispossessed Jay Leader in midfield, taking a couple of touches before dinking a superb finish beyond Tom Hadler into the back of the net to make it 1-0. The Rams created their first real chance in the 18th minute, with Bioletti heading over after Tom Clifford crossed in from the left.
Bioletti forced Merstham goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey into action five minutes later after TJ Jadama had made a driving run into the box, before more good work by Jadama resulted in Tolfrey just beating Alfie Paxman to a loose ball just outside the box. Henry then intercepted Hadler’s pass into midfield, and he played in Finlay Johnson on the left, but his low shot was well saved by the Rams keeper.
Two quick fire goals in two minutes turned the game on its head – and both came from superbly flighted corners by Roarie Deacon. The first was planted into the back of the net by Joe Ellul from six yards on 41 minutes, before Billy Munday headed home from a similar distance a minute later to spark jubilant scenes amongst the Rams fans, who had once again travelled in huge numbers.
An all action first half still had more to offer though, and Merstham drew level just two minutes later. A long ball was played down the middle, and it was latched onto by Bradley Wilson, who took a touch before steering a fine effort beyond Hadler with the outside of his right foot. Ellul was then shown a straight red card on the stroke of half time, with referee Jonathan Bolland judging his strong challenge to be worthy of a straight red card despite contact with the ball being made.
2-2 was the scoreline heading into the half time break, but the Rams didn’t let the sending off halt their attacking intent. Two minutes into the second half Paxman’s ball from the left was taken under control by Bioletti, and he took a touch before dragging a left footed shot across the face of goal from fifteen yards. Henry shot straight at Hadler in the 50th minute, before some heroic last ditch defending denied Jadama a certain goal after his goalbound shot from six yards out was somehow deflected over the crossbar by a Merstham defender.
Bioletti was the next player to go close in the 68th minute after a jinking run in the box gave him a chance to shoot from ten yards the left angle of the box, but Tolfrey stood up well to make a smart save. The frenetic pace of the game continued, and Henry had a glorious opportunity to put the hosts in front five minutes later but somehow put a free header over the bar from six yards out in the centre of the box.
There was to be no reprieve for the Rams in the 81st minute though, as Merstham edged themselves back in front from a corner of their own. The ball was whipped in from the left, and Emmanuel Robe found space to head past Hadler into the bottom-right corner of the goal to spark wild celebrations from the home side.
Ramsgate threw everything at the hosts to try and find an equaliser, with Bioletti forcing Tolfrey into another save with a low shot from 18 yards, but there was to be no happy ending for them as Merstham held on to grab the victory. The Rams are next in action on Saturday, when they host Eastbourne Town at the WW Martin Community Stadium.
Ramsgate: Hadler, Deacon (Barnes), Ellul, Leader, Clifford, Gard (Martin), Jadama, Bioletti (Ajayi), Paxman, Taylor. Subs: Garrett, Newcombe.
Star man: TJ Jadama.
