Ramsgate FC 5-0 Sheppey Utd
Ramsgate made a real statement of intent by thrashing Sheppey United 5-0 at the WW Martin Community Stadium. Both teams went into the game with 100% records in the league, but the Rams were never in danger as they cruised to victory.
The home team made four changes to the side that lost 3-1 to Cray Valley PM in the FA Trophy last time out, with Roarie Deacon, Alfie Paxman and Benny Bioletti coming in from the start. TJ Jadama was also back in the starting lineup, and was presented with a commemorative trophy to mark 200 appearances for the club before the game.
The Rams started in dominant fashion, monopolising possession and playing very much on the front foot. Jay Leader headed wide from an early corner before a remarkable passage of play resulted in the home side taking the lead on 19 minutes.
Bioletti had a shot well blocked inside the area, before Jadama forced visiting keeper Aidan Prall in to a fine one handed save moments later. The ball was then played out to Deacon, who struck the bar with a curling effort. The Rams kept up the pressure though, and straight after this Tom Clifford’s cross caused havoc in the area. Prall saved twice from Lewis Gard and Bioletti, with the ball rebounding to goal machine Joe Taylor, who tapped home for his 15th goal of the season.
Four minutes later, the Rams doubled their lead after Jadama beat Prall to Deacon’s free kick, with his header across goal being nodded into the back of the net by Bioletti to make it 2-0. Aaron Barnes had to make a fine block to deny Sheppey’s Gil Carvalho before Jadama fired over after another period of sustained Ramsgate pressure. On the stroke of half time, the hosts made it 3-0 after Paxman emphatically finished Miles Judd’s cross with a rasping, first time shot into the bottom corner.
Home goalkeeper Tom Hadler was called into action as Sheppey pushed for a way back into the game, saving superbly from Carvalho again before the Rams looked to add to their lead. Jadama almost caught Prall out with an audacious effort from a prone position, before his outrageous pass out to the right wing saw substitute Josh Ajayi play a neat one-two with Taylor, before having his shot saved by Prall.
The fourth goal arrived on 67 minutes, with Taylor’s clever backheel in the box finding Paxman, who fired home for his second of the game. Hadler was called into action to make a fine, one handed save to deny Carvalho once again soon after. There was a home league debut for local academy product Tom Brisley – coming on to replace Barnes for the last twelve minutes of the game.
Paxman shot over on 88 minutes searching for his hattrick before the Ites came close to a consolation goal in stoppage time, when a well struck curling shot from Eitel Moumi Goueth struck the crossbar. Ramsgate put the icing on the cake moments later. Paxman played a lovely through ball to Ajayi, who kept his cool to round Prall and slot home from a tight angle to make it 5-0.
It really was a dominant and impressive performance from the Rams, who were never troubled in front of a superb crowd of 1,053. They are next in action on Tuesday 15th October with a trip to Steyning Town Community FC.
Ramsgate: Hadler, Judd, Barnes (Brisley), Leader, Clifford (Walters), Deacon (Carlse), Gard, Jadama, Bioletti (Ajayi), Paxman, Taylor. Sub: Newcombe.
