Tuesday 11 March 2014. Ryman League, Division One South.
Ramsgate 1 Walton & Hersham 1.
Swans’ recent unbeaten run looked like coming to an end as, after conceding an early soft goal, time was running out on their search for an equaliser. But six minutes after coming on with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, substitute Nehemiah Adams scored the goal that made it ten points out of the last twelve.
With Tom Mudge not recovered from injury Louis Clark moved to central defence and Yinka Salami came in for his debut at right-back. Jack Battie also came in for Matt Reece, who could not get to Ramsgate early enough to make the starting line-up.
The home side took the lead after nine minutes when Ian Pulman drove a free-kick in low from 35 yards that goalkeeper Dan Coles got behind but could not hold. With Swans slow to react James Sherman nipped in to score. Ramsgate then won a corner on the right, and when the ball was laid back a low, driven cross was just wide of the near-post.
Swans’ first opening came after a quarter of an hour when Peter Wedgeworth crossed from the right and Andrew Mensah sent a glancing header looping into the hands of home keeper Nicholas Shaw. Mensah then struck a speculative shot from 25 yards that went through to Shaw. With half an hour played Battie’s fine pass sent Sean Bradley away down the middle, but after making the opening he lost control of the ball. Mensah then made a good run to make space for himself and get in a shot that took a deflection to go behind for a corner.
Swans were caught out when Pulman got through, and Coles was forced into a good block.
Reece came on for Swans for the second-half, replacing André Scarlett.
Just before the hour Wedgeworth took a free-kick from 30 yards out, but he drove it straight through to keeper Shaw. Aaron Watson came on for Bradley to make his first appearance for Swans since getting injured at Walton Casuals last April, and he was soon getting in terrific cross from the right, but a home defender just got his head to the ball before Mensah to concede a corner.
Swans were doing most of the attacking without making clear openings, and although Ramsgate rarely threatened they had a chance when the ball was lost on the right and Sherman shot wide of the near-post. Pulman then almost got through and Sacha Mbaye had to make a fine tackle to concede a corner.
With just over a quarter of an hour remaining Adams came on for Vernon Francis. Swans were soon making a good break, and a ball in from the right set up a chance for Mensah at the far-post, but his looping shot went straight into the grateful hands of keeper Shaw. Adams then had a shot deflected for a corner, and with eleven minutes remaining Swans scored a deserved equaliser.Following Wedgeworth’s corner from the right the ball was played into the box, and Adams seized onto it to drive it past Shaw.
Ramsgate’s Sherman drove a shot just over after some fine play by him 22 yards from goal, but Mensah soon had a chance at the other end when the ball dropped to him, but he volleyed wide. Swans continued to press for a winner, and as the match entered the final five minutes some fine play just outside the box ended with a shot from Mensah that went straight through to Shaw.
But it was the home side that had a couple of chances in the dying minutes, Sherman driving a shot over from the edge of the box following a good build-up, and Mbaye just denying Kane Rowland, putting the ball behind with a great tackle as the Ramsgate substitute got through.
Swans’ Team: Dan Coles, Yinka Salami, Andy Lomas, André Scarlett (Matt Reece 45’), Louis Clark, Sacha Mbaye, Sean Bradley (Aaron Watson 62’), Vernon Francis (Nehemiah Adams 73’), Jack Battie, Andrew Mensah, Peter Wedgeworth. Subs. not used: Chris Grayland, Martin Beard. Scorer: Adams (79’). .
Ramsgate Team: Shaw, Groombridge, Robinson, Gray, O. Schulz, Laslett (Treadwell 78’), Beech, Murray, Pulman (Rowland 84’), Sherman, Chapman. Subs. not used: W. Schukz, Pilcher, Hawke. Scorer: Sherman (9’). Caution: Beech, foul (42’). .
