Godalming 1 Ramsgate 2

Ramsgate continued their late push for the play-offs, with 3 hard-earned points from a tough battle at Godalming moving them up into 7^th place. Although the Rams won the reverse fixture at Southwood thanks to a late penalty, it was a tight encounter and the Gs were up for revenge tonight (as the matchday programme confirmed).

The Rams were quick out of the blocks and in the 2^nd minute Stuart Vahid had the chance of a good header in the box, but the ball looped over. Two more chances followed for Ramsgate in the first 15, with Vahid and Mark Lovell both on target but unfortunately straight at the ‘keeper. In the 23^rd minute the Gs had a good chance when Rishi Nankani, who tested Jack Smelt at Southwood, put the ball across the goal beyond the Rams’ ‘keeper, but skipper Ben Laslett was there to clear the line. On the half hour the pace of Nankani saw him split the defence again, but Smelt was aware and was out quickly to force him wide, and the shot went over. A minute later and Gabriel Odunaike shook off Aaron Beech but his shoot was well wide. In the 42^nd minute good play between Mitchell Sherwood on the right and Lovell in the centre set up Warren Schulz, but his shot was just over the bar. With a minute of the half remaining an Aaron Beech freekick from 25 yards found Vahid running through in the centre of the area, but Damo Smith was quick to react and hooked the ball away with an out-stretched leg as Vahid was about to pull the trigger.

In the 2^nd half the Rams began to look the more likely to score, and in the 49^th minute Vahid flashed a cross back to the centre from wide on the right, but it took a touch from a defender and went just behind Lovell and Sherwood. Godalming were still pushing and in the 53^rd minute a sloppy challenge 35 yards out gifted the hosts a freekick, and although this was put into the danger area assured handling by Smelt dealt with the threat. A minute later and Sherwood took the Rams’ only corner of the match, which was initially cleared but he retrieved it to put the 2^nd ball deep across the box, where Schulz headed to Lovell, who in turn headed it past the ‘keeper for the opener. As the hour approached Nankani put a deep cross in from the right to the far post, where Adam Fouser headed wide. On 62 Sherwood put the ball wide to Vahid on the left, who centred to Lovell who rifled it past the ‘keeper into the net, but it was ruled out as the lino considered Vahid offside. Shortly after the Gs introduced pacy striker Dave Stevens for Odunaike and in the 70^th minute a long ball forward from right back Stuart Harte found Fouser at the far post, but this time his header beat Smelt to level the score. With 12 minutes to go the Gs had another freekick just outside the area, and although it was curled to the left of the Rams’ wall it was comfortably headed out for a corner. A minute later and the Rams got the winner after Schulz fed the ball through to Vahid on the right, who again whipped the ball back into the middle from the bye line to Sherwood who made no mistake at the far post. The Gs made two further substitutions as they desperately tried to fight back but the Rams had the game in the bag and kept the pressure on their hosts goal until the end.

Ramsgate: Jack Smelt, Curtis Winnett, James Gregory, Ollie Gray, Liam Quinn, Ben Laslett (c), Mitchell Sherwood, Mark Lovell, Aaron Beech (Ryan Harker 75), Stuart Vahid. Unused Subs: Joe Taylor, Jack Kirkby, Simon Pettit, Brett Mills.