Ramsgate were able to come back from two goals down to draw with Corinthian Casuals, securing their place in the Ryman South Division One next season.
Simon Halsey’s side came into the game knowing that, due to their superior goal difference over 22nd placed East Grinstead Town all they would need to do is avoid defeat against a Casuals team who had only won twice in their last ten matches and came into the game in 12th place, with neither promotion nor relegation to fight for. After the Rams’ 5-3 win at Horsham the previous week Halsey refused to change his starting eleven, meaning he had started the same players for the third consecutive week.
Despite Ramsgate needing a draw to stay up, within four minutes they had fallen behind when, after some early pressure from the visitors, Mahrez Bettache’s cross was bundled into the net by Ramsgate’s Scott Punton, the defender’s own goal making his side’s task even harder.
Soon though, Ramsgate were fighting their way back into the game and after Matt Adams fired over after controlling a corner, turning and hitting a shot over the attacker found Joe Taylor whose low effort was cleared away for a corner.
Corinthian Casuals came straight back however, and on 27 minutes Juevan Spencer cut inside from the right wing before being tripped by Danny Lawrence. After the referee pointed to the penalty spot it was Bettache who fired the penalty into the roof of the net, doubling his side’s lead.
The hosts quickly responded and, just five minutes later Chris Elliott’s free kick fell to the feet of Scott Punton who made up for his earlier mistake by converting from Elliott’s long free kick giving Ramsgate a chance to get the point they desperately needed.
As half time approached Corinthian Casuals pushed more pressure on Ramsgate but Nick Shaw was able to deny Dave Hodges and Juevan Spencer to keep his side in the game.
In the second half Corinthian began with a series of chances to extend their lead, first a counter attack allowed a series of quick passes between Mason Welch-Turner and Reece Placid with the attack ending with Welch-Turner clipping a shot over. Soon after Corinthian’s Dave Hodges put a cross into the path of Reece Placid from the left wing, but Placid could only volley the shot over.
Placid continued to create chances and, after dispossessing Chris Elliott he was able to quickly fire a shot towards goal which rolled agonisingly wide before another of his shots was blocked, with the ball falling to Mahrez Bettache, the midfielder’s effort flew over.
The hosts, still desperate for a goal, got a foothold of the game and quickly pushed forward, after Punton volleyed wide from a corner Matt Adams was able to get the ball past Danny Bracken but Juevan Spencer did brilliantly to hook the ball off the line, keeping the score at 2-1 before the danger was hurried away.
Just moments later Adams found Joe Taylor from the right wing but after Taylor’s first time shot went wide Adams collected the loose ball and played in another pass which Taylor was able to smash into the net to the delight of everyone within Southwood Stadium.
The Rams, unknowing that other results meant that they would stay up anyway, continued to fight and, after not allowing any further attacks, finished the game knowing that they will be able to remain in the Ryman Division One South next season.
Finishing the season three points above the relegation places, Ramsgate will now be able to look back on a troubled season which included two managers and only seven home wins, and look to improve next season, but that won’t matter to those at the club in the coming days, as the club and it’s fans will look forward to a period of few worries.
Ramsgate: Shaw, Butcher, Elliott (Robinson), Lawrence, Punton, Wheatley, Chapman, Schulz, Adams (Knight), Taylor, Quain
Subs not used: Sherman, Wooley, Varner
Corinthian Casuals: Bracken, Turley, Welch-Turner, Hall, Hicks (Thompson), Mills (Peterkin), Spencer, Bettache, Placid, Wilson-Denis (Austin), Hodges
Referee: Mr P Rowley
Assistants: Mr G Worrell and Mr J Horne