By Darius Sarrafan
Ramsgate bravely held on with ten men to record a 2-1 win against a feisty Raynes Park Vale side in the Autumn sunshine at the WW Martin Community Stadium to advance in the FA Trophy. The Rams made five changes from the midweek game against Sevenoaks Town, with Tom Hadler, Jay Leader, Lewis Gard, Alfie Paxman and Joe Taylor all coming in from the start.
Hadler was called into action early, making a couple of saves to deny Vale a goal before Paxman had a shot deflected wide on 18 minutes. Both sides tried to feel their way into the game before a crucial thirty second spell resulted in the Rams taking the lead in the 24th minute. Firstly, George Vincent somehow headed over the bar for Vale following a fine Hadler save, before Joe Taylor finished emphatically with a left footed volley from a Paxman throw in to give the home side the lead.
The Rams doubled their lead in superb fashion on 35 minutes. Firstly, a through ball from Leader found TJ Jadama, who hit the post after a one-two with Taylor. The Rams’ number 9 then rolled the ball in to the path of Gard, who finished high in to the net to make it 2-0. Hadler was called in to action again shortly after, making a fine double save to deny Vale and Jordan Gallagher on the follow up. The half time interval arrived with the score remaining 2-0 to Ramsgate.
Rams in the hat for the next round of the FA Trophy after 2-1 win with goals from @JoeTaylor28 and @lewisgard10
— Ramsgate Football Club (@RamsgateFC) September 22, 2024
The visitors started the second half strongly, and were back in the game after 51 minutes. A long throw from the right was glanced on by Jay Leader, with the ball hitting the post and trickling over the line just before Aaron Barnes could clear. Vale then looked to push for an equaliser, keeping the pressure on the Rams – and Joe Bell dragged a shot wide before a contentious moment after 74 minutes.
A clash of heads resulted in Barnes needing treatment, and in an apparent case of miscommunication with referee Nicholas Dunn, he entered the pitch before being told to do so. A yellow card was shown amid confusion, with the referee seemingly forgetting that Barnes was booked in the first half. Of course, Mr. Dunn then had to show the red card to Barnes, with players and fans alike reacting with incredulity. Rams manager Ben Smith was also shown a red card in the aftermath.
The away side pushed relentlessly for an equaliser, with Jermaine Green striking a shot wide before an astonishing let off for the Rams on 89 minutes. Daniel Hector’s volley hit the post before rebounding to Gallagher, who somehow shot wide from 10 yards out.
Vale kept pushing, but an equaliser wouldn’t arrive as referee Dunn brought an end to proceedings, with Ramsgate digging deep to hold on and progress to the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy.
The Rams are back in action this coming Tuesday in a massive Thanet Derbygame against local rivals Margate in the Kent Senior Cup.
Ramsgate: Hadler, Judd, Barnes, Leader, Carlse, Martin (Clifford), Gard (Deacon) Jadama, Ajayi (Bioletti), Paxman (Elito), Taylor. Sub: Walters.
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