Ramsgate 1-2 AFC Hornchurch - Our big players didn't turn up, admits Ward

Lone striker Mo Takaloo opened the scoring for the Thanet side within the opening six minutes, but two Hornchurch goals in the space of four minutes from Simon Parker and Dean Green ensured an away side came away from fortress Southwood Stadium with a rare victory.

But the Essex side had goalkeeper Dale Brightly to thank, pulling off a fine double save in the 90^th minute, thwarting Takaloo from the penalty spot and the follow up from substitute Stuart Vahid.

Ramsgate lost only three Ryman Premier League games here last season, but the ground has never looked so good with new covered stands at both ends of the pitch and an immaculate playing surface.

But the new surface allowed the impressive Urchin Lee Hodges to pull the strings from midfield.

But a dejected Ward, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk in the boardroom afterwards, said: “He will impress because he had a ten minute spell, it was only ten minutes, quarter-of-an-hour maybe where he got plenty of the ball.

“What he done, he started off on the left-wing and he drifted inside in the middle of the park and we were a touch naïve - we never got hold of him.

“We scored a great goal, Takaloo, and then really I think we put our foot of the gas a little bit, which you can’t do at this level so three points to them, it’s disappointing.”

Hornchurch striker Kris Lee had a couple of early chances, the second, a goal ruled out for offside, before Ramsgate scored from their first shot on goal.

Long-throw specialist Simon Pettit launched the ball into the penalty area and Takaloo, making his third debut for the Rams, turned before lashing a right-footed shot into the roof of the net from 12-yards.

But Ramsgate’s joy was short-lived as Hornchurch began to dominate proceedings and were very strong at the back, winning every header, and played balls over the top of Ramsgate’s defence at every opportunity, of which, right-sided midfielder Dean Green and the front pairing of Parker and Lee, caught the eye.

Despite signing for the Urchins last week, former Ramsgate striker Steffan Ball had to make do with a place on the bench, until his 17 minute cameo role, although he did have a goal ruled out for offside.

But Hornchurch, a side who, like Ramsgate tasted heartbreak in the semi-finals of the lottery of the play-off’s at the end of last season, levelled after seventeen minutes.

Hodges’ played a ball over the top of the Rams’ defence for Parker to latch onto and he clinically sent his left-footed lob over the advancing Jack Delo and the ball bounced into the middle of an empty net.

The game was won in the 21^st minute when Green drilled a right-footed shot through a couple of players’ legs and into the bottom far corner past debutant Delo after Parker held the ball up inside the Rams penalty area.

Two minutes later Lee latched onto Parker’s ball over the top but he dragged an angled right-footed shot just past the far post.

But stunned Ramsgate did have first half chances with midfield general Lee Minshull cracking a left-footed hooked shot, which agonisingly curled just past the far post and former Canterbury City midfielder Jamie Maxted powering his header past the near post from eight-yards.

With a four-man wall positioned on the eighteen-yard line, Hodges’ right-footed free-kick looped into Delo’s hands, underneath the crossbar.

And from another Hodges’ free-kick, Lee sent his towering header just over the crossbar from eight-yards, appealing for a corner in the process.

Yet another ball over the top, this time from Green, sent Parker on his way down the right-hand side, and after slipping past defender Nick Davis, who lost his footing, the striker cut inside but his shot was beaten out at the near post by the former Herne Bay goalkeeper.

The crowd of 315 had to wait until halfway through the second half for more goalscoring chances.

Parker had a couple of chances and sandwiched between these Delo was relieved to see Lee’s angled drive bounce off the crossbar in the 70^th minute.

Ramsgate’s first chance of a poor second half showing arrived five minutes later when Takaloo sent a right-footed shot from the left-hand side over the crossbar and substitute Ben Brown suffered the same fate.

Former Rams striker Ball sprinted down the right-hand side and his low centre should have been put away by unmarked substitute Ross Wall, but a poor first touch enabled Ashley Burton to stroke the ball clear from inside his penalty area.

But Takaloo squandered an excellent chance to steel a point at the death, as Brightly, who had a quiet game, made a fine double save.

Takaloo’s poorly struck right-footed penalty was comfortably blocked by the goalkeeper, who reacted superbly to prevent Vahid, who won the late spot-kick, from scoring from the follow up and Dan Dolton’s shot was cleared off the line in a crowded goal-mouth.

“Nine times out of ten, Mo will tell you yourself, he’ll put it in the back of the net,” admitted Ramsgate skipper Warren Schulz, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I think it’s just one of those days to forget and push on, on Tuesday (away to Sutton United) and hopefully get the three points.”

But a dejected Ward always knew his first four games were going to be very difficult.

“They are one of the favourites and you see why they are,” he said. “They’re an honest team, fair play to them, they’ve come here and they’ve got the three points.

“We knew how difficult the start was. I said if we could get six or seven points out of the first four games, I’d be delighted.

“Obviously we’ve got nothing today so we bash on and we learn a bit more again.

“We did our good bits today and our good bits just out-weighed the bad bits but you’ve got to put the ball in the net.

“There’s plenty to build on. We don’t need to start cutting our throat.

“I think a couple of our big players didn’t play today, didn’t perform today, which we needed.”

Ramsgate: Jack Delo, Ashley Burton, Joe Dowley, Nick Davis, Jake Eastwood, Ben Laslett, Simon Pettit (Ben Brown 76), Warren Schulz (Stuart Vahid 66), Lee Minshull, Mo Takaloo, Jamie Maxted (Dan Dolton 52).
Subs: Dan Tanner, Andy Hadden.

Goal: Mo Takaloo 6

Booked: Joe Dowley 15, Ben Laslett 56, Mo Takaloo 61

AFC Hornchurch: Dale Brightly, Mark Goodfellow, Andy Tomlinson, John Purdie, Richard Goddard, Lee Hodges (Des Boateng 79), Dean Green, Frankie Curley, Kris Lee (Steffan Ball 73), Simon Parker (Ross Wall 83), Elliot Styles.
Subs: Mark Janney, Donny Barnard.

Goals: Simon Parker 17, Dean Green 21

Booked: Andy Tomlinson 53

Attendance: 315
Referee: Mr Tony Mason (Sidcup)
Assistants: Mr Rob Baker (Maidstone) & Mr Ian Fissenden (Gravesend)