18 Sept – Youth Round-Up

Today saw 4 of the 5 Kent Youth League teams in League Cup action, with all but one of these progressed to the next round, while in the single league fixture the Under 16s recorded a fine home win. In the East Kent Youth League all 5 teams were in league action, with 3 wins and 1 loss.

Kent Youth League

The Under 18s met Herne Bay’s ‘South’ Division team in the League Cup at Southwood, and progressed to the next round thanks to a 5-1 win. The Rams’ goals came from a Jake Regan hat-trick and singles from Ollie Frewin and George Stannard, while the Bay’s consolation goal came from ex-Ram Dylan Richards. The Rams hope to take their unbeaten run into the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday evening, when they play Tunbridge Wells away.

The Under 16s notched up their first home win of the season with a fantastic performance against Dover Athletic at Southwood. Both teams had plenty of possession but the Rams had the best chances to open the scoring. Daniel Barrett put the Rams ahead in the 14^th minute when Dominic Crawford’s free kick was headed down in the area by Josh McAteer for Barrett to volley home. The Rams were still 1-0 up at the interval and switched back from 4-5-1 to an attacking 4-4-2 in the 2^nd half. This paid off immediately from the restart when Mason Webb met Ben Munday’s cross with the sweetest of volleys which few into the top right hand corner. The Rams really took the game to Dover and it wasn’t long before Webb hit his 2^nd and 3^rd of the game, both goals linking up well with the midfield of Granger and Crawford before stroking the ball under the ‘keeper for his second and lobbing the stranded ‘keeper for his hat-trick. Dylan Hawkins scored his justly deserved first goal of the season and Man of the Match Mason Webb added to Dover’s misery when he hit his 4^th of the afternoon. Ben Davies and Jordon Box also had outstanding performances during the game in defence while Ben Munday worked well down the right.     

The Under 15s maintained their good start to the season with a comfortable win in the League cup against their North division opponents Vallance FC. Ramsgate were always on top in this game, and were 2-1 ahead at half time courtesy of goals from Charlie Loveday and Jack Penney. The 2^nd half was all Ramsgate and 2 more goals by Loveday completed his hat-trick and 1 from Ryan Coleman eased the Rams through to the next round. Another excellent squad performance today, from all 16 boys.

The Under 14s hosted unbeaten Phoenix in the second round of the League Cup, and it was the young Rams who started the stronger and took the game to their visitors. Smart work from Branden Adam and James Mileham sent Harris Rodgers through to slot home to take an early lead. Phoenix tried to reply and it took a good save from Josh Bexon to keep the lead intact. Ramsgate pushed again and Harris Rodgers was rewarded with another well taken goal. Phoenix continued to try and breach the Ramsgate defence, which held firm with some excellent work from Munday, Birch, Brown and Paxman. As Ramsgate stared to dominate the game the visitors were awarded a surprise penalty where another good save from Bexon kept them out, but within a few minutes Phoenix took a header well to score and put pressure on the home side. Nerves were settled after another flowing move led to Mitch Laing placing home to make it 3. Phoenix gamely tried to get something from the tie but more good defending from George Delaney helped keep the 3-1 lead and take Ramsgate through to the next round. Rams: Josh Bexon, Gianni Birch, Sam Munday, Jack Paxman, Seb Rowland, Sam Bone, Dan Vinson, Branden Adam, James Mileham, Harris Rodgers, Mitch Laing, Taylor Phur, George Delaney and Alfie Dickinson.

The Under 13s did not fare so well and they went out of the Geerings Challenge Cup losing to Dover 1-0. The game started at pace with both Ramsgate and Dover sharing long periods of possession, despite heaving rain and hail. The Rams came close to opening up the score when a Matt Short free kick was parried out by the Dover ‘keeper but no-one was there to finish. Dover scored just before he half-time whistle when they caught the Rams defence on the break. The 2^nd half started as the 1^st with the young Rams having more of the possession and play. Ramsgate kept working trying to play good football on a very wet pitch and came very close to levelling the score. The boys battled to the end of the game and were unlucky not to take the game to extra time. A good performance boys!

East Kent Youth League

The Under 18s welcomed Monkton Youth to Pfizer, but lost 3-1, the Rams’ goal coming from James Olver.

The Under 16s were host to Whitstable Town at St Lukes today. Although the Rams played a large percentage of the game erratically at times, they went on to win this lively encounter 2-0. Conor Buddle scoring both, the first a fine effort and the second cleanly prodded home after the Whitstable ‘keeper had a moment of madness when, under no pressure, he threw the ball for Buddle to intercept on the edge of the 18 yd box and finish. Ramsgate missed a few chances, the closest when Sid Twelftree hit the upright from some 30 yds out. One or two players were a bit lacklustre today and made the going harder than perhaps it should have been, however Buddle, Twelftree, Jak Hughes and Liam Gallop caught the manager’s eye, with ‘keeper Harry Kirkby a commanding presence in goal once again ensuring a clean sheet. Two wins from two going into next week’s encounter with Ramsgate Youth, where the lads will certainly need to be on their game to remain top of the table. 

The Under 14s played Folkestone Cantera at Pfizer today and, as per usual, started really slow, which meant that Folkestone came straight out of the blocks scoring 3 in a matter of ten minutes. It took some gutsy tackling from right back Connor McAteer to get the fight back into the young Rams from which they duly won a corner that Billy Batchelor put straight onto Billy Ingram’s head. The next twenty minutes was all Ramsgate and by the half-time whistle they were 4-3 to the good, with an own goal and another from Billy Ingram, and 1 from Bradley Welsh. The 2^nd half started much better, with Ross Griffin at the heart of every move and getting a much deserved goal himself and setting another for Welsh. Folkestone rallied well and caught the Rams out with a neatly finished fourth. Welsh finished the scoring for the Rams with a perfect striker’s hat-trick before Folkestone netted before the final whistle making it a final score of 7-5 to the young Rams. Man of the Match could have gone to a few players this week but, because of his good captaincy and fine display throughout the entire match, it went to Ross Griffin.  

The Under 13s got off to the perfect start when they took the ball off Ramsgate Youth straight from the kick off and passed it through to Sam Percival, who fired home from just outside the area.  However, sadly this turned out not to be a sign of things to come due to a combination of a poor performance, refereeing decisions and a linesman whose flag was predictably raised as soon as Ramsgate FC went forward. It did not take long for Ramsgate Youth to not only equalise, but to take a 4 – 1 lead, but just before the break Philipos Stamatiou hit a stunning shot on the turn from about 25 yards out to give the young Rams a glimmer of hope. In the 2nd half, with the Rams still not playing as they can, Stamatiou hit a free kick from a similar distance which eluded everyone and flew into the back of the net. However, the referee cancelled out the goal by deciding it was an indirect free kick and therefore did not count. Had that goal stood, and if the Rams had been given a much deserved penalty following a two handed shove in the back on Tom Perriam in the opponents area, things could have been different. Unfortunately it was the hosts who scored the only goal that counted in the 2nd half to make it 5 – 2. Hopefully this was a one off and the young Rams can learn from it, move on and put things right next week.

The Under 12s had another home fixture this week, and another lively encounter with the young Rams coming out on top. Early pressure from the start and some very good link up play between Billy Walker, Jack Walton and Finlay McConnell, but this was judged to be offside. Kennington caught Ramsgate on the hop but saw a good effort hit the bar. The Rams pressed again, with Finlay forcing Kennington’s ‘keeper to make a save, only for Josh Richards following up to tuck the loose ball in the empty goal. Some more determined work from Josh created an opening for Jack to make it 2-0. Kennington kept coming though and forced Alex in goal to make two outstanding saves, one shot had him at full stretch, he some how managed to turn the ball past the post. Almost immediately he had to be extremely brave, diving at the feet of the on coming Kennington striker. Finlay made it 3-0 after his tenacity paid off but just before half time Kennington made it 3-1 with an unstoppable strike from outside the box. With the game at 3-1 the young Rams really needed to get the next goal. Josh & Charlie King had some early chances with the whole Rams side pressing & harrying any Kennington player in possession, they were forcing errors. Josh picked up another loose ball & sent a 25 yard rocket into the roof of the net to make it 4-1. Now the Rams relaxed and played some lovely passing football. Kieran Laws and Will Heron gave their usual no-nonsense performances in the middle of defence, with Hal Mutton and Callum Piper giving another attacking option down the flanks. Kennington were pinned into their own half for most of the 2^nd period, and brothers Josh & Isaac Roberts made their debut for the Rams and did very well bossing the midfield, with Adam Campbell adding a touch of invention. The Rams got their 5^th when Finlay again forced an error from the ‘keeper and the ball was left for Jack to get his second of the game with a sublime chip over the stranded goalie. Scott Roddam came on and immediately sent an optimistic long range effort wide, Scott also provided the pass for what looked to be Josh’s hatrick but his diving header went a fraction wide (a Man of the Match performance though). Late pressure from Kennington forced two corners but the lads stayed strong and defended brilliantly. Great performance boys – 5-1.