Ramsgate left it late but completed a superb comeback to down Sheppey United 3-2 and advance to the next round of the FA Trophy at Holm Park. The Rams made seven changes from the side that beat Hythe Town in midweek, with Joe Ellul, Tom Carlse, Roarie Deacon, Lee Martin, Benny Bioletti, Josh Ajayi and Vance Bola all starting.
The visitors dominated possession in the early stages, popping the ball about with ease in the still, overcast conditions. The hosts were holding firm though, and a drive from Bola into the side netting was the best that the Rams could muster before Sheppey looked to get a foothold in to the game. Jacob Lambert curled just over before the Ites took the lead on 26 minutes. Daniel Carr found himself one on one with Tom Hadler following a deflection, and he kept his cool to round the Rams custodian before tucking the ball in to the empty net.
Ramsgate looked for a way back in to the game, only to find home goalkeeper Aidan Prall in fine form to firstly stop an Ajayi shot before a brilliant save to deny Bola from close range, with Ajayi being denied by the Sheppey defence on the follow up. TJ Jadama curled just over from a corner but the visitors couldn’t find a reward for their endeavours before the break as the hosts went in 1-0 up.
Sheppey started the second half brightly, forcing a great double save from Hadler as well as a superb goal saving challenge from Deacon on former Ram Gil Carvalho. The visitors soon regained their stranglehold on possession though, and Lee Martin forced Prall in to another save from a free kick on 55 minutes. Bola again went close shortly after, turning in the box before firing just wide with Prall beaten.
Lewis Gard and Joe Taylor were introduced shortly after for Medy Elito and Bola, and the visitors continued to press before finding a deserved equaliser on 66 minutes. Ajayi lined up a free kick from 30 yards and arrived his spectacular effort beyond Prall to bring parity to the game.
The parity was to be short lived, however, as Sheppey regained the lead three minutes later. The ball fell to Lambert in the Rams box following a cross from the left, and he superbly curled in to the top corner – giving Hadler no chance. This setback didn’t deter the Rams, however, and wave after wave of attacks continued at the Sheppey back line. Bioletti had a brilliant cross fall to Ajayi at the back post, but the Rams number 14 couldn’t get his shot on goal.
Ramsgate were level on 88 minutes following superb work from Jadama after a corner was played to him. His cutback found Taylor, whose goalbound shot was deflected in to the path of Gard, who poked in to the roof of the net to bag the equaliser. The Rams went in search of a winner afterwards, and they found it in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Deacon rolled the ball in to Taylor, who in typical fashion turned in the box and buried a low shot in to the bottom corner to send the away supporters behind the goal in to raptures.
A deserved victory for the Rams to make it seven wins from seven games in all competitions at the start of the season. We return to action this coming Tuesday 10th September at home to Ashford United at the WW Martin Community Stadium.
Hadler, Deacon, Ellul (Judd), Leader, Carlse, Martin (Clifford), Elito (Gard), Jadama, Ajayi, Bioletti (Paxman), Bola (Taylor).
