Win brings Rams step closer to promotion

By Darius Sarrafan

They may have fallen behind on the day, but ultimately nothing could stop the Rams from storming to within one win of securing the league title on a glorious afternoon at the WW Martin Community Stadium.

Manager Ben Smith made two changes from the side that saw off Broadbridge Heath, with Benny Bioletti and Lewis Gard returning to the starting XI in place of Josh Ajayi and Billy Munday.

The home side looked to press high up the pitch from the first whistle, putting the Bridges backline under relentless pressure when they tried to play out. The first chance fell to leading scorer Joe Taylor in the second minute after great work by TJ Jadama in this instance, but under pressure from a defender he could only lift the ball over the bar. Jadama himself had a shot blocked a minute later after Bioletti had won the ball back inside the Bridges box.

The visitors managed to settle into the game after this, finding ways through the Ramsgate press as they began to have some territory of their own. Reece Hallard was denied by a superb goal saving challenge by Aaron Barnes in the 11th minute, but he wasn’t to be denied eight minutes later. A ball played from the right back position held up in the wind and deceived the Rams defence, and Dan Ferreira latched onto it before squaring for Hallard to finish into an empty net.

The Rams responded in typical fashion to this setback, pinning the visitors back inside their own half as they looked to respond in a positive way. Bridges defended well until Bioletti forced Will Tillman into a save at his near post after he cut in a from the right and shot left footed towards goal. From the resulting corner, the home side found their equaliser as the ball was only half cleared to Lee Martin on the edge of the box – and he unleashed a beautiful cushioned volley into the top-right corner of Tillman’s goal.

A relentless, red tide of pressure followed as the home side kept the pressure up. Again, Bridges held their shape well, but starter to creak as Taylor volleyed just wide of goal from the edge of the box ten minutes later. In the 42nd minute the Rams took the lead, and it was another trademark Roarie Deacon corner that found the head of Barnes to nod home at the back post to the delight of yet another huge home crowd.

It remained 2-1 at the break, and Ramsgate continued to have the better of the chances as the second half began. Barnes poked over the crossbar from twelve yards in the 50th minute before Alfie Paxman shot just wide of goal from the left side of the penalty area a minute later. Bioletti was the next to go close, shooting just wide from the opposite side of the box after good work by Gard in the build up.

The game went into somewhat of a lull at this point, with both sides cancelling each other out in many ways. Bridges began to see more of the ball without creating much, and the Rams were content to be patient in the build up as well as continuing to press high. Jadama had a shot well blocked on 68 minutes before a combination of sub Joe Ellul and home keeper Tom Hadler denied George Falzon after a long ball from the back set him clear on goal.

The visitors continued to try and play out from the back, but it would prove to be their undoing as the Rams made the game safe with two goals in three minutes having won the ball back high. Firstly, Paxman dispossessed Billy Irving before Jadama found Taylor 18 yards out. He took one touch before passing the ball beautifully into the bottom- right corner for his 47th goal of the season. It was also his 100th goal since rejoining the club in the Summer of 2023.

Three minutes later, it was 4-1 as Deacon beat a Bridges defender to the ball on the right touchline before finding Bioletti in the box. He took a touch before unleashing a powerful drive beyond Tillman into the top-left corner of the goal, and the Rams fans behind the goal roared in approval. It was the least Bioletti deserved for an all action performance.

The goals took the stuffing out of Bridges, and they offered little in the way of a riposte. Martin was sent off late on after being given a second yellow card for what referee Simon Cutler judged to be time wasting as he waited to take a corner. Deacon eventually put the corner in, and Ellul was on hand to head home to make it 5-1.

The final whistle went shortly after to leave the Rams on the brink of history. They next play Hythe Town on Good Friday 18th April, with kick off at 1pm. Victory in that game would ensure the league title – and with it the long desired promotion the club has been chasing for the last four years!

Ramsgate: Hadler, Deacon, Barnes (Ellul), Leader, Clifford, Martin, Gard (Munday), Jadama (Oluwatimilehin), Bioletti (Ajayi), Paxman, Taylor. Sub: Newcombe.

Star man: Benny Bioletti.