By Darius Sarrafan
An attritional contest on a tricky surface ended up honours even as Whitehawk and Ramsgate shared the points at the Enclosed Ground. Rams boss Lee Martin brought Leo Young in for his Rams debut in place of the injured Tom Clifford, with academy trio Liam Tullis, Mason Buckingham and Jack Heaton named on the subs bench.
A quick-fire Billy Munday brace had the Rams in front after Harry Ludovica had given the Hawks the lead. Hugo Odogwu-Atkinson equalised just after the hour before Raphe Brown was shown a second yellow card late on for the Rams.
It was the visitors who had started the game better, with Ian Gayle heading over from ten yards before Joe Taylor saw a goal-bound effort diverted wide via the aid of a last ditch block by Nathan Cooper.
Ludovica bundled a corner over the line at the back post on 17 minutes to give the hosts the lead against the run of play, with the hosts gaining some momentum after this. The big Hawks number nine drove to the byline on the left before flashing a ball across the face of goal before the Rams eventually cleared.
Munday then struck twice in seven minutes at the end of the half to give Ramsgate the lead at the break. His first was well taken after a free kick wasn’t dealt with, before powering home a header from a corner on the stroke of half time.
Odogwu-Atkinson met a cross from Stefan Wright at the back post to power home an effort off the underside of the crossbar to equalise following a slick move down the right side just after the hour.
Mitchell May was denied well when through on goal by Hawks keeper Francis Hurl, before the Hawks keeper made a flying one-handed save to tip a Kingsford free kick over the bar.
Raphe Brown was sent off late on after he was adjudged to have fouled Destiny Ojo as the Hawks broke. It looked a harsh decision, but a second yellow card was shown to the Rams defender and they had to see the game out with ten men.
Sub Archie McGonigle headed wide late on for the hosts, but it was to remain honours even as the Rams departed with a well earned point on the road in front of over 100 travelling supporters.
The team are next in action this coming today (2nd December), with Welling United the visitors in the Velocity Trophy. Kick off is at 7:45pm at the WW Martin Community Stadium.
Ramsgate: Prall, Lukombo, Brown, Gayle, Young (Gard), Paxman, Jadama, Munday, Kingsford, May (Ajayi), Taylor (Tullis). Subs: Buckingham, Heaton.
Star man: Billy Munday.
