Saturday 1 December 2012. Ryman League, Division One South.
Ramsgate 1 Walton & Hersham 2.
The new management duo of Paul Martyn-Jones and Adam Bessent got off to just the start they wanted in the Ryman League as Swans won their first league match in nine, and their first ever at the Kent club, the win being all the more impressive as the team had been largely rebuilt. After giving away a freak goal midway through the first-half they equalised through Victor Kiri’s first goal for the club before the break, and then won it by virtue of a Graeme Purdy penalty with seven minutes of normal time remaining.
Another central defensive partnership had to be introduced with Adriano Moraes and Steve Betancourt both suspended and Ashley Quashie unavailable. Fortunately Greg Ngeno was able to return after missing three games with a knee injury, and Aaron Nowacki agreed to return for one match following his decision to stop playing at this level, and both had fine games. Two new young full-backs were introduced, Matt Holliday, who has been at Windsor F.C., and Liam Flanighan, who has joined from Carshalton Athletic. Reserve goalkeeper Chris Manderson also came in for his first-team debut, and although being unfortunately culpable in the home side taking the lead he otherwise put on an assured performance.
Ramsgate’s first threat came after ten minutes when Macauley Murray put in a powerful strike from 35 yards that flew wide of the left-post, but it was Swans who went closest to taking the lead following a fine move after 17 minutes. Purdy did well to work the ball to Tom Hayden on the left, and he put in an excellent cross to pick out Liam Collins in front of goal, and he got in a downward header that home keeper Danny Twyman did well to tip over his crossbar.
But it was the home side that went ahead after 21 minutes with a goal out of the blue. Manderson had a back-pass under control, but decided on one more touch before attempting to kick clear, but unfortunately his kick cannoned off Ramsgate’s Tom Chapman, who was following in, and the ball rebounded into the left-corner of an open goal.
Swans soon went close to equalising when Collins took a free-kick from the right and Purdy put a header just wide of the near-post. Flanighan then sent in a fine cross from out on the left touchline that was just out of the reach of Harold Odametey at the far-post.
With half an hour played another fine build-up culminated in Hayden cutting in from the left to get in a shot that Twyman could only push away. Odametey followed in at the far-post, but he blazed his effort wide.
Swans deservedly equalised after 39 minutes following another terrific move. The move built-up down the left before Odametey swung the ball across to Hayden on the right. Hayden struck a fine cross to pick out Kiri at the far-post, and he headed firmly past Twyman.
Ramsgate had a chance to regain the lead in first-half stoppage-time when Chapman got into the right-corner of the box, but Manderson was quickly out to block the ball.
Swans almost paid the penalty for some slack defensive play inside the first-minute of the second-half, but Manderson again blocked the ball away when Ian Pulman had a chance close in by the right-post. Chapman then struck a low shot from the right of the box that Manderson went down to save on his line.
Swans were now facing the strong wind, and they did not look as composed as in the first-half. Hayden was guilty of a poor header back to Manderson that only found a home player, who fortunately rolled the ball wide of the right-post.
Ramsgate lost Tom Axford twenty minutes into the second-half, the right-back being stretchered off after coming off second-best in a challenge with Odametey.
With twenty minutes remaining Ramsgate’s Michael Yianni got the better of Ngeno on the right, but his low cross went unchallenged across the face of Swans’ goal. Manderson was soon saving at his near-post as a low shot came in from the left.
Jacek Magdzinski came on for Odametey to assist the lone Purdy up front, and with eight minutes of normal time remaining Purdy got into the left of the box and was tripped just inside. It was a clear penalty, and despite a delay as some gamesmanship by the home side attempted to put him off, Purdy was unerring from the spot.
Despite seven minutes of stoppage-time being played, during which a member of the home bench was sent to the stand by the referee, Swans held on for the three points.
Swans’ Team: Chris Manderson, Matt Holliday, Liam Flanighan, Greg Ngeno, Aaron Nowacki, Jerome Maledon, Harold Odametey (Jacek Magdzinski 75’), Liam Collins, Graeme Purdy (Jaymo Ellis 90+1’), Victor Kiri, Tom Hayden (Courtney Warren 81’). Subs. not used: Kyei Banton, Sheikh Ceesay. Scorers: Kiri (39’), Purdy, penalty (83’) Caution: Collins, dissent (89’).
Ramsgate Team: Twyman, Axford (Eguileor 65’), Robinson, Parkinson, Hill, Laslett, Chapman, Schulz, Pulman (Cliff 81’), Murray, Yianni. Subs. not used: Miller, Regan, Hickman. Scorer: Chapman (21’). Cautions: Chapman, kicked ball away (54’), Parkinson, unsporting behaviour (82’), Yianni, dissent (87’).
