Kentish Football 
Margate 1-0 Ramsgate - Hockton wins one over Ollie to keep play-off hopes alive
MARGATE 1-0 RAMSGATE
Ryman Premier League
Stephen McCartney reports from Hartsdown Park
Danny Hockton’s 37th goal of the season has kept Margate’s play-off hopes alive by scoring the only goal of a dire game in front of a packed Hartsdown Park today.
A sun-kissed crowd of 1,676 – Margate’s largest of the season – had to wait until the 77th minute for the stalemate to be broken.Substitute Dean Standen, who had replaced Jimmy Jackson two minutes earlier, whipped in a cross from the left channel towards the far post and Hockton out-jumped Ramsgate defender Ollie Schulz to power his header past Paul Wilkerson from just four yards out to the delight of the blue corner of Thanet.
Ramsgate were making their first trip to Hartsdown Park for a league fixture for 34 years – and Margate won that game 1-0 too.
And Hockton was delighted that he was the one that ended Ramsgate’s play-off dream.
With only three Ryman Premier League games remaining, Ramsgate drop to eighth in the table on 62 points.
But Margate remain in sixth place and are just one point behind fifth placed side AFC Wimbledon on 67 points and know they must win their last three games to ensure they extend their season by another week.
“Hopefully, I’ll score and they’ll all be important as that,” Hockton told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after Margate’s derby win.
“A bit important today because it was a local derby, which made it even better I suppose.
“But every goal at the moment has got to count because we want to get into the play-off’s.”
Margate’s position would have been much better had they not come away from basement boys Slough Town on Saturday with a point from an embarrassing 2-2 draw against a side that have already been condemned to relegation.
And Ramsgate needed to win today to give themselves a slender chance of qualifying for the play-off’s, following their 3-1 defeat to Bromley on Good Friday.
In a game of few goalscoring opportunities, Jackson had a couple of shots inside the opening four minutes that rolled past both uprights.
Ramsgate’s best chance came after 18 minutes when Michael Phillipps’ right-footed free-kick from thirty-yards bounced into the side netting.
And James Pinnock shot straight at Wilkerson within a minute as this important game lacked killer bite.
Wilkerson made a comfortable save from Jay Saunders’ towering header from sixteen-yards following Greg Oates’ deep free-kick.
Ollie Schulz glancing back-header from just eight yards out, which cleared the crossbar, was Ramsgate’s next chance after 22 minutes, following a left-footed free-kick from Dean Hill.
Slack defending from the Rams, however, almost gifted Rob Haworth his second goal for Margate just three minutes later.
Wilkerson, however, came to the rescue when he rushed off his line to thwart Haworth, who had latched onto a bullet header from player-manager Robin Trott.
All of Shaun Welford’s previous throws had been delivered into the Margate penalty area, but in the 34th minute he used his brain.
He threw the ball to Warren Schulz, unmarked outside the penalty area, and Ramsgate’s skipper unleashed a right-footed drive from 35-yards, which was beaten out by Charlie Mitten.
But Welford decided to launch another of his trademark long-throws and hardworking midfielder Lee Minshull saw his glancing header beaten out by Margate’s goalkeeper.
The first half ended with Michael Phillipps’ left-footed shot from 25-yards sailing over Mitten’s crossbar.
With both sets of supporters segregated, both teams were shooting towards their own fans during the second half.
And the game almost sprung to life as Margate almost scored after just 57 seconds into the second half.
Justin Skinner’s floated a free-kick towards the far post with his left-foot but Wilkerson was on hand to block James Pinnock’s header from eight-yards.
Ramsgate’s sixth corner of the game almost produced a goal but Welford’s towering header dropped onto the roof of the net, following Michael Yianni’s out-swinging corner towards the edge of the penalty area.
The home faithful thought their side had taken a deserved lead after 63 minutes.
Hockton, just six-yards from goal, was denied by a fine save from Wilkerson, who stuck out his left foot to block the shot, after Haworth flicked on Justin Skinner’s cross.
That, however, was the best chance of the entire game, but Margate kept their dream alive courtesy of their leading marksman with thirteen minutes remaining.
And Haworth almost doubled their lead with six minutes left.
But his header from six-yards, following Skinner’s free-kick, agonisingly bounced off the top of the far post.
Ramsgate substitute Simon Pettit, meanwhile, squandered an excellent chance to steal a point late on from sixteen-yards, but Mitten made a comfortable low save.
Hockton, however, was delighted that he outwitted Ollie Schulz today.
“The three times I’ve played against Ollie, he’s raised his game,” he said.
“I see week in, week out, other teams score goals against Ramsgate, not so much at home.
“Today, he made it really difficult for me and to be fair it was good when I scored at the end because it sort of rubbed it into him because he rubbed it into me last time.”
But Hockton was pleased that his team-mates rolled up their sleeves to get the win – in the end.
He said: “He (Robin Trott) said we need to raise our game today because we were so poor Saturday and I think the boys did today.
“It was always going to be a battle against Ramsgate, which we done, and we stuck at it and we got our just reward at the end.”
Kent’s second highest goalscorer praised Dean Standen for his match-winning cross.
He said: “It was a great ball to be fair. If I’d had missed I think I would have had to hang my boots up!
“It was a good ball from Deano. I was really pleased that I was in the right place at the right time.”
And player-boss Robin Trott, admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk that his side had to fight to win the local bragging rights.
“We make it hard for ourselves, don’t we?” he said. “It was a must win game today, they’re no fools Ramsgate.
“A massive derby, it could go either way before the game – very pleased with the way we played.”
Trott was delighted that his side bounced back following their debacle at Stag Meadow on Saturday.
He said: “Disappointed with Saturday but well pleased with today. If we had picked up Saturday’s result then it would have made it better for us and we do want to make it hard for ourselves.
“But we had a few chances today to be fair and Wilks (Paul Wilkerson) their keeper really kept them in the game but a great finish from Danny.”
Margate travel to second placed side, big-spenders Chelmsford City next Saturday.
Their last game at Hartsdown Park is against Westview Cup winners Ashford Town (Middlesex) on Saturday, 21st April, before travelling to Hendon on the last day of the season seven days later.
Ramsgate, on the other hand, welcome Horsham to Southwood Stadium next Saturday, before finishing with Staines Town (away) and Walton & Hersham (home).
Hopefully Trott’s men will be extending their campaign by another two games in May!
Margate: Charlie Mitten, Greg Oates, Justin Skinner, Robin Trott, Louis Smith, Pat Sappleton, Rob Haworth, Jay Saunders, James Pinnock, Danny Hockton, Jimmy Jackson (Dean Standen 75).
Subs: Lee Protheroe, James Donovan, Nick Bagley, Scott Chalmers-Stevens.
Goal: Danny Hockton 77
Booked: Pat Sappleton 17, Justin Skinner 67, Greg Oates 78
Ramsgate: Paul Wilkerson, Ashley Burton (Justin Gregory 85), Dean Hill, Liam Morris, Ollie Schulz, Edd Vahid, Michael Phillipps (Michael Yianni 52), Warren Schulz, Shaun Welford, Lee Minshull, Stuart Vahid (Simon Pettit 82).
Subs: Dan Tanner, Jurgen Wild.
Booked: Stuart Vahid 73
Attendance: 1,676
Referee: Mr Mick McCoy (Canterbury)
Assistants: Mr R Baker & Mr Simon Finnigan (Maidstone)
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd