By Darius Sarrafan
A dogged, determined performance saw Ramsgate pick up a hard earned point at Champion Hill on Saturday as the match against Dulwich Hamlet ended in a 0-0 draw. A crowd of over 2000 were in attendance, with 300 or so Rams fans making the journey from Kent.
Lee Martin made changes to the side that went down 4-3 at Burgess Hill, with Dillon Addai, Henry Lukombo, Eze Ebuzoeme and captain TJ Jadama all named in the starting XI. Ian Gayle and Aiden Prall were both named on the subs bench, whilst Donvieve Jones missed out with a recurrence of the quad injury that has troubled him all season.
The Rams started the game brightly without creating much, with the hosts well drilled in defence. It was a busy performance early doors, with Ebuzoeme impressing with his energy and fight in midfield as the away side looked to impose themselves on proceedings.
The busy Luke Wanadio dragged a shot wide in the eighth minute from 25 yards for Hamlet, before Jadama Raymond’s ambitions cross-cum-shot failed to catch Addai out, and he got across well to pluck the goalbound effort from the right wing out of the air three minutes later.
Addai again was called upon to hold Raymond’s low effort on 16 minutes, before Jadama got up well in the box to get to Tom Clifford’s cross from the left six minutes later. Unfortunately for the away side, the ball was ever so slightly behind the Rams skipper, and he could only divert the header wide of goal.
The same player volleyed an effort from 25 yards wide of goal after Mitch May had seen his initial shot blocked, before Wanadio’s powerful effort from inside the box was hit straight at Addai, who held the shot well.
Alfie Paxman was positioned well to block a goalbound effort from the dangerous Wanadio just in front of the goal-line a few minutes before the break, but it remained goalless at the interval.
The second half passed by without much incident in all honesty, with the Rams staying resolute in defence whilst trying to catch the home side on the break when the chances presented themselves. Solomon Ogunwomoju made his Rams debut off the bench in place of Ebuzoeme, and looked lively in the process.
Addai was forced into action late on to dive to his right and hold a low shot from Wanadio late on, but the game petered out into a goalless draw, and the Rams headed back to Kent with a well earned point.
The team are next in action with a Kent Derby at home to Folkestone Invicta on Saturday 27th December. Kickoff is at 3pm. This is currently an all-ticket game, and tickets can be purchased online at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/3a977kha
Rams: Addai, Mundele (Webster), Lukombo, Brown, Clifford, Paxman, Munday, Ebuzoeme (Ogunwomoju), Jadama, Kingsford, May (Young). Subs: Gayle, Prall.
Star man: Henry Lukombo.
