Rams 2 Arlesey 3 aet – FA Trophy Replay

Tonight saw Ramsgate welcome Arlesey Town from Bedfordshire, for a replay of last Saturday’s fixture that ended as a goal-less draw. And it was the Rams who opened the scoring in the 17th minute, whenn Aaron Beech was scythed down in the box and Mitchell Sherwood put the rebound penalty away after ’keeper Richard Hayward blocked the initial strike. Beech nearly scored again in the 39th minute as he stretched past a defender in the box to stab the ball past the ‘keeper, but it took a slight deflection and went just outside the post, but 2 minutes later James Gray equalised for the Blues.

The Rams re-took the lead 10 minutes into the 2nd half, when James Gregory’s freekick from just inside the Arlesey half was flicked on and over the ‘keeper by the head of Mark Lovell. Arlesey re-shaped, with the introduction of Chris Marsh in the 62nd minute and Chris Watters in the 70th, and in the 76th minute the Rams cleared a corner by the Blues only for it to be rifled back towards the goal with Brett Mills reacting quickly to tip it nto the crossbar. The Rams countered immediatelywith Lovell’s header being straight at the ‘keeper. In the 81st and 85th minutes Mills was called on to keep the Rams in front as the Blues piled on the pressure chasing the equaliser. Then, with a minute to go, a challenge by Gregory in the area was deemed excessive and the Blues were awarded a penalty while the Rams went down to ten men. However, Mills saved the penalty but when it was cleared from the area Joel Mason fired a volley from 30 yards through a packed area and into the net, which surely must be a contender for Arlesey’s goal of the season (and not just because it forced extra-time).

Ryan Harker came on for the injured Mitchell Sherwood at the start of extra-time and 3 minutes in Paul Axon replaced Tom Tsangarides, while Warren Schulz replaced Aaron Beech 7 minutes later, who had to be carried off owing to his injury. Then, with 3 minutes remaining, the Blues got their 2nd penalty of the game, and this time Mills was beaten, with substitue Chris Marsh’s spot kick giving the Blues the lead for the first time, and when it counted most. Then, in the final minute of extra-time, a great ball by Lovell flew into the path of Liam Quinn who ran through to go one-on-one with the ‘keeper, only to fire his shot straight at him. So the Rams progressed no further than their first tie in the’ FA Trophy, thanks to a penalty in extra-time. (Attendance 105)

Ramsgate: Brett Mills, Ollie Gray, James Gregory, Luke Wheatley, Lim Quinn, Ben Laslett (c), Aaron Beech (Warren Schulz 101), Mitchell Sherwood (Ryan Harker 91), Mark Lovell, Tom Tsangarides (Paul Axon 94), Simon Pettit. Unused Subs: Curtis Winnett, Sammy Cliff.