Saturday 7 November 2015. Ryman League, Division One South.
Walton & Hersham 3 Ramsgate 2.
Swans twice had to come back from a goal down before they finally put an end to a run of five home defeats on the spin. Things did not look good when they again went behind to an early goal, but they quickly settled to play some of their best football of the season, taking the game to the visitors and finally running out deserved winners.
With Dominic Ogun suspended, one change was made to the side that had started at Whitstable with recent signing Olufemi Ismail coming in.
Swans started well and soon forced a corner, but Jack Battie’s kick from the left was disappointing and went behind.
Once again they went behind to an early goal, a result of some really poor defending. With just seven minutes played the ball was lost in midfield and Ramsgate’s Tom Loynes was picked out in yards of space on the right. He was able to drive the ball across the box for Ian Pulman to score with ease at the far-post.
The goal only seemed to inspire Swans however, and they soon began to create openings. André Scarlett got the ball to Aaron Watson on the left edge of the box, and he struck a fine shot that Rams’ goalkeeper Luke Watkins did well to tip over. From Battie’s corner from the left, the ball was just scrambled clear at the far-post. With a quarter of an hour played Scarlett crossed from the right for Watson to get in a far-post header that was cleared off the line. The ball was immediately crossed back in from the right for Andrew Mensah to flick a header against the bar. Harry Mills then combined well with Watson on the left before driving over a cross that sent the ball just past the far-post.
Ramsgate’s right-back Jake Mackenzie picked up the game’s first yellow card, and then just five minutes later was guilty of crudely chopping down Watson on the left, but the referee showed a fair degree of leniency in administering just a warning. Watson went close to exacting his own punishment, as he dived in at the near-post to meet Battie’s free-kick, but his header went just wide.
The visitors’ goal had led something of a charmed life, but with half an hour played Swans finally got the equaliser they deserved. Watson cut in from the left before driving the ball across the 6-yard box. Kadeem Ajeon’s shot seemed certain to find the net, only for Watkins to somehow claw the ball away from the line, but John Oyenuga was on hand to follow up and drive it home.
Watson got in another fine cross from the left into the 6-yard box that forced Joe Kane to head behind for a corner, and from Battie’s kick from the right the ball was just cleared away. James Richmond then got his head to another Battie right-side corner, but the ball cleared the crossbar.Swans deserved to go into the break better than all square, and in the final minute of first-half normal-time Mills got the ball in from the left to find Battie on the edge of the box.Battie turned to get in a shot that took a deflection to go wide. Battie’s corner from the left forced keeper Watkins to tip the ball over, and two more corner-kicks followed.
But it was the visitors who quickly won a corner inside the first minute of the second-half. A good run by Battie on the right earned Swans a corner, but Ramsgate continued to look dangerous and Richmond just prevented Nick Treadwell getting in on the right, conceding another corner-kick. It was a corner taken by Quain on the right that led to Joe Taylor striking a powerful shot from outside the box that brought a good save from Swans’ keeper Jack Howard, Treadwell following in on the left to put a header over.
Mensah had a low shot from the left saved by Watkins at his near-post, but Swans continued to go through an uncertain spell at the back, and this led to them going behind again on the hour. Quain looked to be taking a short corner on the left with Taylor in support, but with Richmond drawn out of position the kick was played long, and Treadwell was at the far-post to score.
Swans showed great resilience however and were level again five minutes later. Watson made another clever run into the left of the box and was tripped by Mackenzie. The Ramsgate right-back’s good fortune continued with the referee deeming the award of a penalty sufficient punishment. Once again Mills was unerring from the spot.
Minutes later Mensah went close to giving Swans the lead for the first time as he cut in from the right to strike a low, left-foot shot just wide of the near-post. Watson made another terrific run on the left before crossing low into the box, where keeper Watkins just got to the ball before Swans’ substitute Shawn Lyle. Battie then sent a long free-kick down the middle and into the box, where Mensah got his head to the ball, but it flew just wide. With just under a quarter of an hour remaining Lyle turned in the left of the box to have a shot deflected wide.
But Swans were not to be denied and Battie’s corner-kick from the left sent the ball against the crossbar. The ball came to Ajeon outside the box, and he drove in a low shot through a crowded penalty area, and the ball took a deflection before nestling in the bottom, right corner.
The visitors responded to going behind for the first time, winning a free-kick by the left corner-flag, and from Loynes’ kick Howard did well to tip the ball over his crossbar. Swans had to dig deep to hang onto their lead, and with two minutes of normal-time remaining Ramsgate sent a volley wide at the far-post after Quain had crossed from the left.
Then, a minute into stoppage-time, Oyenuga was pinned down by a Ramsgate player close to Swans’ right touchline, and after apparently lashing out was shown a red card.
Lyle was soon breaking clear on the right and Watkins dashed across to bring him down just outside the edge of the box, earning the Rams’ keeper his side’s fifth yellow card of the afternoon. Battie drove the free-kick in, and Watkins did well to punch the ball away from his goal-line.
With six minutes of stoppage-time having been played Swans were almost denied a deserved three points as Taylor broke clear into the box, but the combined efforts of Howard and substitute C-J. Williams just prevented him from getting in a shot.
Swans’ Team: Jack Howard, John Oyenuga, Regan Mendes, Olufemi Ismail (Shawn Lyle 68’), James Richmond, Harry Mills, André Scarlett, Kadeem Ajeon (C-J. Williams-Agunabor 90+4’), Andrew Mensah (Sam Pledger 87’), Jack Battie, Aaron Watson. Subs. not used: Sean Fallon, Shannon Wallace. Scorers: Oyenuga (30’), Mills, penalty (66’), Ajeon (77’). Caution: Battie (75’). Dismissal: Oyenuga (90+1’).
Ramsgate Team: Watkins, Mackenzie, Quain, Kane, Smith, Girt, Loynes, Treadwell, Pulman, Taylor, Rowland (Gray 66’). Subs. not used: J. Paxman, A. Paxman, Vinson, Cox. Scorers: Pulman (7’), Treadwell (60’). Cautions: Mackenzie (18’), Taylor (72’), Pulman (72’), Loynes (83’), Watkins (90+2’).