Burgess Hill 1 Ramsgate 1

The 2010/11 season ended on a beautiful spring day on the picturesque Burgess Hill ground. Liam Quinn returned to the Rams line up after suspension, and with Mitchell Sherwood and Aaron Beech injured Curtis Winnett, Joe Taylor and Jack Kirkby were drafted into the starting eleven.

The Hillians had moved from favourites to stalking horses in the battle for a 5^th place play-off spot following a run of defeats and were reliant on a draw between Walton and Hersham and Dulwich Hamlet and a win against the Rams.

This started to look unlikely as early as the 3^rd minute when a James Gregory free kick was latched onto by Joe Taylor, forcing a save by Joel Harding in the home goal. Warren Schulz was wide from a corner before Oliver Lockyer fired wide with the Hillians 1^st shot on 10. Taylor mis-hit a flick from Schulz on 11, Winnett lobbed wide on 13 and two minutes later a lovely move between Gregory and Mark Lovell ended with Schulz blasting wide. A powerful drive by Ollie Gray on 20 cleared the clubhouse as the Rams pressed on before the home team struck back on 32 through Steve Harper, whose shot was just over. Against the run of play Burgess Hill took the lead on 45 as Steve Harper peeled away from the Rams’ defence and headed past Jack Smelt from a low hard corner.

Stuart Vahid replaced Winnett at half time and the Rams responded with a Liam Quinn header that was well saved by Harding on 50. A poor clearance by Smelt should have been punished on 56 but Quinn scrambled off the line. Under 18 Jack Kirkby tested the keeper on 57 before a trip on Taylor gave Mark Lovell a penalty chance that he rammed home with perfection a minute later. Paul Axon and another Under 18, George Amber, replaced Lovell and Taylor and the game became end to end with neither team looking likely to break stalemate.

So, a point a-piece left Burgess Hill in 7th, and with a win for Faversham they moved above the Rams into 8th to deny them being the highest placed Kent side. 

Ramsgate: Jack Smelt, Ollie Gray, James Gregory, Luke Wheatley, Liam Quinn, Ben Laslett, Curtis Winnett (Stuart Vahid 46), Warren Schulz, Mark Lovell (George Amber 74), Joe Taylor (Paul Axon 74), Jack Kirkby Unused Subs: Ryan Harker and Brett Mills.