Ian Pulman’s first half hat trick propelled Ramsgate (albeit before Saturday’s fixtures) into the Ryman One South Play Off places as Tim Dixon’s side made it back to back wins against Herne Bay.

Indeed the Rams boss will have been even happier with the scoreline as he wasn’t one of those who braved a freezing Southwood due to a long standing family commitment.

In his place, his assistant Darren Beale and first team coach Steve Nolan looked on as Pulman took full advantage of some truly woeful first half defending from the visitors who restored some degree of respectability courtesy of Sam Bewick’s penalty a quarter of an hour from time.  But in all truth, Simon Halsey’s side never had a chance at getting back into the game after a first half to forget – defensively at least!

Pulman opened the scoring after just eight minutes.  Picking the ball up inside the Herne Bay half, Pulman span away from a couple of defenders before unleashing a shot that spun horribly off of James Campbell completely wrong footing keeper Luke Nalder, who did his best to reach the ball but it nestled in the corner of the net.

The Bay were nearly level on the quarter hour.  Byron Walker sprinted clear down the inside right and clipped the ball past Rams keeper Daren Hawkes.

The ball seemed as though is was going wide only for full back Josh Maughan to slice a clearance that went inches past the post.

From the corner Tom Bryant saw his header blocked before Rhys Lawson shot was deflected away by Hawkes, who in truth can have seen very little of the shot.

The Bay’s bad luck continued on 19 minutes when keeper Nalder somehow failed to gather an innocuous long ball forward into the box, and Pulman couldn’t believe his good fortune as he walked the ball into the net.

James Sherman headed wide before Maughan, pressing forward in support, received a square ball from Pullman before cutting inside the box before curling a shot beyond Nalder but back off the inside of the right post before being cleared.

If manager Halsey had any doubt that it wasn’t going to be his sides day the closing five minutes of the half well and truly proved it.

Bewick’s quick free kick found sub James Turner who in turn with a super touch found his brother Michael who’s low angled drive looked to have crept in the near post only for Hawkes’ left boot to deflect the ball to safety.

Then on 41 minutes Pulman completed his hat trick.  A long free kick down field was allowed to bounce by Calum McGeeham who was suddenly the wrong side of Pulman who held off the defenders attentions before coolly slipping the ball past Nalder.

Indeed Pulman was inches away from adding a fourth in first half stoppage time.  Sam Gore’s fine cross saw Pulman denied this time by the keeper before a combination of Nalder and Campbell denied James Sherman as he bore down on the rebound.

If Nalder had had a shaky first half, the opening stages of the young Gillingham loanee were horrific.

Five minutes after the break, Bryant’s poor back pass was midjudged by the Bay keeper and as Pulman nipped in and beat the Bay keeper with ridiculous ease only for Campbell to hack the ball away!

Incredibly within a minute the keeper was again thankful for the saved red face.  His very poor clearance was straight at Jon Eguileor, and as the ball ran free for Pulman, only for a desperate challenge from McGeeham stopped the Ramsgate number nine making it four nil.

The visitors did eventually pull a goal back fourteen minutes from time through Bewick’s spot kick – awarded when sub James Turner was bundled over by keeper Hawkes – but in all truth by then the Bay were a well beaten and very tired side.

Boss Halsey can only now hope that by bringing the game forward from Saturday to Good Friday, it will give his players more recovery time ahead of Easter Monday’s massive derby with Whitstable Town.

For the Rams though, this was the first time that the club have won three games in a row in more than two years – these three points mean that Dixon’s side have now claimed twelve of the last fifteen points available ahead of Monday’s first ever trip to the Gallacher Stadium to face league leaders Maidstone United.

The position at the top of the table with the sides chasing Play Off places is getting tighter after each round of matches, you would have to say that Ramsgate (with just two of their last six at home) are possibly just the outsiders – but hat trick hero Pulman and his fellow Rams may well have other idea’s…

RAMSGATE – Hawkes, Maughan, Gore, Parkinson, Robinson, Laslett, Sherman, Eguileor (Hickman), Pulman, Murray, O’Brien (Regan)

Subs – Schulz, Hill and Harris

HERNE BAY – Nalder, Bryant, Sayer, McGeeham, Campbell, Bewick, Michael Turner (Brown), Taylor, Walker (Grant), Agbajee (James Turner), Lawson

Subs – Lloyd and Nedler

Crowd – 202

Referee – Mr Nolan Wilde

Assistants – Mr Peter Cruise and Mr Jamie Macleod