It was a triumphant return to the Belmont for the Ward brothers as their new team Ramsgate beat their old team Whitstable in the East Kent Derby.

Ramsgate came into this game in good form & started the game fast when in the 4^th minute a free kick into the Whitstable area found Tom Loynes who turned & shot just wide of the post, they had a scare in the 10^th minute when Luke Watkins clearance hit Charlie Smith & the ball flashed past the post.

Two minutes later Peter Smith saw his shot from 20 yards go over the bar Whitstable created their first real chance in the 14^th minute when ex Ramsgate forward Ira Jackson came in from the wing & his flicked pass found Ollie Gray in the area but his shot was easily saved by Watkins, two minutes later a cross to the back post was fed back to Scott Heard & his first time shot went over the bar.

Ramsgate were very patient in their build up whilst Whitstable belying their League position were more frantic & then in the 30^th minute Luke Girt made a great run from halfway running straight to goal when Luke Doherty appeared to foul him in the area although spectators near the incident said it was outside the area so up stepped Ian Pulman & he hit the penalty straight down the middle to give the Rams the lead.

Eight minutes later & Whitstable equalised when Jackson put Heard in on goal, he looked at least 5 yards offside but was not given & he raced into the area beating the onrushing Watkins & flick it into the net.

In the second minute off added time Jake McKenzie went on a mazy run across the 18 yard area before shooting but it went over the bar. Half time arrived & Simon Halsey would have probably been the happier of the two managers.

The second half started with Ramsgate the better & quicker of the two teams & in the 47^th minute Joe Taylor received the ball in the area & his goal bound shot was deflected for a corner.

Three minutes later the ball seemed to ricochet around the Whitstable area & eventually ended up at Pulman’s feet but his snap shot from 6 yards was blocked by Adam Highstead.

Ramsgate took the lead in the 52^nd minute when Pulman retrieved the ball on the left wing & cut inside & then slid the ball into the path of McKenzie who from 6 yards slotted the ball home. Ramsgate were now controlling the game & in the 67^th minute they increased their lead when Loynes running forward into the area passed the ball sideways to Peter Smith who from 10 yards side footed the ball past Highstead, two minutes later & it could have been four when a ball into the area found Loynes whose header from 6 yards was pushed away by Highstead.

Whitstable had a lifeline in the 73^rd minute when a free kick into the area was punched away by Watkins under pressure but only to Heard on the edge of the area & his first time shot hit the back of the net, game on.

But only to Heard on the edge of the area & his first time shot hit the back of the net, game on. Watkins kept Ramsgate’s lead when in the 80^th minute a free kick from Heard was hit low into the area where it found Doherty who turned & shot forced Watkins to push it away for a corner.

In the 83^rd minute Taylor had a wonderful opportunity to make it four as his run into the area saw his shot from 15 yards deflected away for a corner but two minutes later & it was four when Aaron Quain picked the ball up on halfway & ran forward before unleashing a wonderful shot into the top left hand corner.

In the 89^th minute it could have been five when a Peter Smith cross to the back post found Pulman whose shot from 8 yards was saved by Highstead.

The final whistle went & Ramsgate take the three points back to Southwood but Whitstable can take positives out of this as they did not look like a team second to bottom in the League.

 

WHITSTABLE TOWN:

1. HIGHSTEAD 2. O.GRAY  3. M.ROBERTSON (81)  4. C.McGEEHAM  5. L.DOHERTY  6. J.TAYLOR  7. S.HEARD 8. S.BEWICK 9. C.SMITH  10. I.JACKSON  11. K.CAMPBELL (27)

SUBS USED: 12. K.BOYLE (27)  15. A.NUNN (81)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. J.ALGAR  16. M.HURCOMBE  17. D.KEYTE

BOOKINGS: 10. I.JACKSON (39)  3. M.ROBERTSON (80)

 

RAMSGATE:

1. WATKINS 2. J.McKENZIE  3. A.QUAIN  4. J.KANE  5. N.HUMPHREY  6. L.GIRT  7. P.SMITH  8. W.SCHULZ 9. I.PULMAN 10. J.TAYLOR  11. T.LOYNES

SUBS USED: NONE

SUBS NOT USED; 12. N.TREADWELL  14. L.WHEATLY  15. K.SMITH  16. J.JACKSON  17. N.SHAW

BOOKINGS; 3. A.QUAIN (79)

 

REFEREE: Mr A.AJIBOLA

ASSISTANTS: Mr W.JAMES & Mr S.HUGHES

ATTENDANCE: 240