Ramsgate ensured there was no FA Cup upset at Champions Hill as they beat hosts Fisher of the Southern Counties East League 4-2 to progress in the FA Cup and secure a home tie in the next round against East Grinstead or Raynes Park.

In an opening half where you could use the adage “a game of two halves”, it was the visitors from Ramsgate of the higher league who started the better. The visitors almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances when a long throw by Chris Elliott evaded the leap of striker Ira Jackson just in front of home ‘keeper Adam Highsted and struck the side netting. Good work by Curtis Robinson then gave Connor Heffernan a chance at goal but his shot was well blocked.

The hosts then created a chance of their own with good work on the left by Richard Morgan, Junior James and Eku Deen, the latter proving to be real thorn in Ramsgate’s side, but Ramsgate’s defence held firm to clear the impending danger.

The visitors continued to have the better of the play and just after the quarter hour the impressive Tom Chapman got to the right by-line pulling the ball back to Jackson who found himself unmarked in the 6-yard box but ‘keeper Highsted got down well to save when looking second favourite.

Ramsgate took the lead with a thunderbolt of an effort from Heffernan who received the ball 20 yards out on the left edge of the penalty area and let fly with a strike that hit the back of the net before ‘keeper Highsted had chance to steady himself to get to it.

The tricky Jackson had a chance to extend the visitors lead after winning the ball on the right edge of the penalty area but having ridden several challenges inside the box could only find the side netting from close range – Shooting whilst off balance

Just before the half hour the hosts equalised. A defensive lapse between Scott Punton and Dean Hill left James on his own in the penalty ‘D’ and calmly played the ball under advancing ‘keeper Nick Shaw to level the score-line.

The equaliser gave the hosts confidence whilst knocking the visitors off their stride and for the remainder of the first half it was Fisher who looked most likely to score with captain Danny Maguire’s cross-come-shot trickling across the six yard box and wide of Shaw’s left hand post and their invention and quick thinking in taking a quickly taken free kick was almost rewarded but Billy Walton’s side footed effort went harmlessly over.

Ramsgate’s Jackson then almost got in on goal but was unable to beat ‘keeper Highsted to Heffernan’s cleverly played ball over the Fisher defence.

Fisher’s Maguire then saw a well struck right footed free kick well saved by Shaw and a marauding run by the hosts’ Nathaniel Bell, a near 50yd run down the right side, was rewarded with a corner but Ramsgate defended well to clear the danger.

Ramsgate got the second half off to the perfect start taking the lead for the second time in the game – Bell adjudged to have fouled Chapman in the left side the penalty area when it certainly looked like the full back won the ball – Elliott sending Highsted the wrong way to restore Ramgate’s lead.

On the hour mark Robinson should have extended Ramsgate’s lead running through on goal from the half-way line but in making the penalty area was well challenged, missing out on the chance to at least get a shot on goal.

Moments later Chapman worked well on the right hand side and, cutting inside from the touch-line, sent his left footed curling effort just wide of Highsted’s right hand post.

The game was then lit up with three goals in as many minutes – Ramsgate were first to strike on 63 with Chapman again working well on the right hand side crossing low into the penalty area to Jackson who had the easiest of chances to give the visitors a two-goal cushion.

However within a couple of minutes Fisher reduced the arrears to one – Deen found space to deliver an inviting right footed cross towards goal with James, scorer of the hosts opener, adding to his tally with an unmarked free header into the bottom left hand corner.

But the goal-rush continued and within sixty seconds Ramsgate’s industrious Chapman got the goal his performance deserved with a delightful left footed curling effort into Highsted’s top right hand corner – His dive was merely one for the camera’s as the ball sailed over him and into the back of the net.

With five minutes remaining Fisher almost got themselves back into the game once again but substitute Kieron Campbell could only shoot wide when well placed in front of goal, with credit to Shaw for narrowing the angle for a shot on target.

But Ramsgate saw the game out with little drama in the remaining few minutes to secure victory and safe passage into the net round of the FA Cup continuing on their road to Wembley.

 

Fisher FC: Highsted, Bell, Webber, McGeehan, Walton, Oshilaja (Chiverton, 78), Morgan (Campbell, 72), James, Garrick (Taylor, 60), Maguire ©, Deen

Subs Not Used: Robbins, Seales, Roche, Lee

Goals: James (28, 65)

Ramsgate: Shaw, Munday (Shultz, 75), Elliott, Punton, Hill, Walsh, Chapman, Murray ©, Jackson, Heffernan (Allen, 68), Robinson (Wolley, 63)

Subs Not Used: Skinner, Vizzard, Sherman, Kelly

Goals: Heffernan (20), Elliott (48, pen), Jackson (63), Chapman (66)

Referee: Mr P Lister

Assistants: Mr G Mays and Mr I Hempel

Att; 136