Ramsgate Ladies took on Crockenhill at Southwood this afternoon with the visitors currently sitting third in Division One East – one league above Ramsgate. Having drawn 2-2 in a pre-season friendly and with the hosts’ outstanding form so far this season a tightly fought contest looked on the cards and so it proved. Without the regularly achieved double figure score-lines it was left to a lengthy contest, including extra time and penalties, to seperate the two teams and supply the excitement today. Sadly however the Crockenhill Ladies proved just too much for Ramsgate’s bare 11 (and no ‘keeper) and they left victorious after a 3-3 draw and penalty shoot-out.

It proved to be an evenly balanced match from the start with the first real chance not coming until the 12^th minute when a defensive miskick let a Crockenhill striker in on goal, only to shoot way over the bar. That however marked the opening up of the game and Ramsgate immediately continued this vein with Tammy Pile-Gray driving through the middle of the field before releasing Tiffany Routledge, whose shot forced a diving save, resulting in a Ramsgate corner. What followed could be called the footballing equivalent of a see-saw with each side trading dominance throughout the game with first Crockenhill then Ramsgate taking the initiative. Indeed it was in a period of Ramsgate dominance that a poor clearance let Tammy collect the ball before releasing Tiff who stepped past one defender before rifling the ball into the back of the net after 26 minutes. In fact Ramsgate continued their dominance and Tiff could have added to her opener soon after with either her good header just a minute later or a lobbed shot which hit the bar shortly after that. Both Tammy and Tiff had their usual fair share of the ball up front but against better opposition than usual the goals didn’t come as easily, with Tammy’s long range free kick going just over and Tiff putting the ball into the net but being ruled offside by the Crocks’ lino after a lovely floated free-kick from Amy ‘Peanut’ Robinson.

Leading 1-0 at half time things went downhill for the Reds after the break, when first Tammy had to leave the field temporarily whilst injured and, with only ten players on the pitch, Crockenhill equalised just 3 minutes in when they raced through and a low shot beat midfielder Megan Cavell in goal. Undeterred, Ramsgate pushed on and following a crunching tackle from Jessica Smith the Reds pushed on and were unlucky not to restore their lead. However it was the Crocks who took that lead on 56 minutes after a foul inside the area led to a penalty, which Megan almost reached, before Ramsgate came under their most pressurised period of the match. However, after valiantly standing up to the opposition the tables again turned and a rejuvenated Ramsgate flowed forward trying desperately for the required leveller. With Ramsgate now in their longest spell of form in the match it seemed only a matter of time before they would get back on level terms and indeed, after being brought down whilst racing in on goal, Tammy stepped up herself to calmly rifle the ball low and to the left of the goalkeeper equalising at 2-2 on 84 minutes.

Extra-time commenced and still the game flowed from end to end, starting with an early Ramsgate goal in the 95^th minute, when a through ball found Tiff and she scored one of her trademark goals running past two defenders before shooting coolly round the goalkeeper. With a 3-2 lead it seemed to be the home side’s day when the visiting number 4 was given two yellows and dismissed just before the turn-around for comically applauding the referee’s initial decision to book her. Unsurprisingly, Ramsgate came out of the blocks fastest in the last period and had a couple of good chances to kill the game before the Crockenhill’s ten Ladies turned the tables, and despite some sterling defending, notably on more than one occasion by Melanie Tsangarides, the visitors equalised with a great curling shot from the edge of the box with a little over 3 minutes remaining on the clock. They also had a chance to win the tie in the last minute but Ramsgate held on for penalties, unfortunately succumbing 4-1 having failed to score two of their three taken.

The Ladies team will however take great pride in a game where they matched opposition from a higher league in every area and dominated for large parts. Player of the match was Melanie Tsangarides and the Ladies return to league action next Sunday when they have the opportunity to leapfrog second placed London Corinthians Res.

Ramsgate:  Megan Cavell, Janine Judd, Jennifer Caraccio, Melanie Tsangarides, Emerald Scannell, Amy Robinson (c),Sophie Turner, Jessica Smith, Tiffany Routledge, Rachel Coll, Tammy Pile-Gray.

Ramsgate Goals:  Tiffany Routledge 26, 95 ; Tammy Pile-Grey 84  (Crockenhill 48, 56, 117)