Ramsgate 1-3 Hampton & Richmond Borough. Ward bemoanes near-post frailities

RAMSGATE 1-3 HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 3^rd February 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Southwood Stadium

Hampton & Richmond Borough became only the second side to win a Ryman Premier League game at Southwood Stadium this season.

A bundled home effort from Rob Paris handed the third placed side the lead after fifteen minutes before Simon Pettit’s first goal of the season just two minutes later brought the Rams level.

And two headed goals from Alan Inns ensured Hampton & Richmond Borough stretched their unbeaten run to twelve games - winning eleven of them.

Ramsgate thought they had opened the scoring after 13 minutes when Stuart Vahid turned home a 25-yard drive from Michael Yianni, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

But the visitors opened the scoring within a minute when Paris bundled home Ian Hodges’ first corner of the game.

Ramsgate, however, drew level within two minutes when Pettit powered home a 20-yard shot, which flew past Matt Lovett inside the near post.

Shaun Welford’s neat pass set up a chance for David Cory, whose half-volley was comfortably saved by Lovett.

Hampton’s second goal arrived on the half-hour mark when Inns glanced home a near post free-kick from Ryan Lake.

And Lake had another chance to increase the scoring when he collected a poorly hit diagonal clearance from Lee Minshull, in the left-back position, but the shot from the 20-year-old flashed just past the foot of the right post.

The Kent side forced three successive corners late in the first half, taken by Yianni, and Minshull met two of them with headers.

His first header was cleared by the visiting defence just before Cory pounced on the ball from close range, and then Minshull held his head in his arms when he glanced a header agonisingly past the far post.

The Beavers wrapped up a workmanlike performance by scoring their third goal inside the first four minutes of the second half when Inns’ looping header dropped into the bottom left hand corner from 12-yards moments after Hodges’ near post corner.

Ramsgate boss Jim Ward played his cards early in the second half by bringing on all of his substitutes but the Thanet side failed to produce any aces.

But two Hampton & Richmond Borough substitutes almost added to the scoreline late on.

Stuart Lake went close with one long-range effort that sailed over and another one that was just inches over the crossbar from 16-yards.

Ten-goal striker Lawrence Yiga brought a fine near post save from Paul Wilkerson but Ward was not very happy with their defending at the near post.

“The game was fairly even for half an hour and we let in a couple of daft goals. Goals that we don’t let in - set pieces,” Ward said EXCLUSIVLEY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I told the lads, I didn’t shout or swear or get into them after the game. I just told them - learn.

“I thought they were cuter than us, I thought they were more organised and all that so just get your head up and have a couple of pints tonight and get ready for the Tonbridge (away) game on Tuesday.”

The last away side to clinch a league win at Southwood Stadium was, incidentally, Tonbridge Angels, winning a five-goal thriller on August Bank Holiday.

Since then twelve sides have come away from Southwood with a draw at best so there was a stunned atmosphere after the game.

“We’ll, it’s a great achievement for the boys first of all to come this far and only have two (home) defeats in the Ryman Premier League, so you’ve got to remember that,” said Ward.

“The defeat, I wouldn’t say it was waiting to happen, because we’ve been doing allright at home, really good at home.

“Fair play to Hampton & Richmond, I thought they were very organised. I thought they didn’t have a poor player in the whole team and I thought they deserved the win.”

Ward, meanwhile, was disappointed that all three goals that his side conceded came from the near post.

“Near post? Doesn’t happen,” he said. “People that know Ramsgate Football Club know you can’t get in there.

“My goalkeeper, my man on the post, my big centre halves all should have done better and they all know it.

“The three goals all came from exactly the same sort of positions so we don’t let those goals in but goals win games.

“It’s bad defending and like I say, it’s a bit (of a) freaky nature them because we don’t let those goals in.”