Ramsgate vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 27th September – Match Report
Ramsgate 1 Paxman 6 pen
Cray Wanderers
Adaja 1
Cray Wanderers moved into the playoff places into 5th in the Isthmian Premier league table and remain unbeaten away from home in the league after picking up a point at Isthmian South-East Champions Ramsgate.
This was a fast paced match which much like last Saturday’s game with Hashtag United saw two *78goals in the first six minutes, one for each side and perhaps the only surprise was that there were no more goals in the game.
The Wands got off to a flyer when Lateef Adaja made it three goals in two games when following a counter attack his goalbound shot hit the bar and over the line.
Ramsgate though levelled through an Alfie Paxman penalty five minutes later and although Cray had the edge on chances especially in the first half the game ended all square.
Cray were looking to buiid on the comeback win against Hashtag United and there were three changes to the starting lineup with Tom Bonner returning as captain, Harry Waldock and Ashley Nzala starting in place of Quade Taylor, Luke Allen and Josh Williams. Ramsgate came into the game unbeaten in five league games and named an unchanged side to the one which beat Welling United on Tuesday night.
Before the game there was an impeccably observed minute silence for Chichester City player Billy Vigar who tragically passed away on Thursday evening.
The match began with Cray getting off to an electric start and in the opening went ahead following a swift break and Lateef Adaja in great form fired in a shot which went over the line via the crossbar.
Two minutes later it could have been 2-0 when Adaja again won a one on one chase but this time was denied by a smart blocked save by Aiden Prall. Then Ashley Nzala found space but his goalbound shot was charged down.
However, against the run of play Ramsgate had the chance to draw level when down the left of the area close to the byline Alfie Paxman was clipped by Harry Waldock for the award of a penalty. From the spot, Paxman netted his eighth goal of the season.
This didn’t deter Cray and came close to going back in front in the 11th minute when Alex Hernandez made a run forward and set up Nzala down the left of the area but Prall made a great blocked save. Also Cray had an appeal for a penalty when Adaja went down under a push but nothing was given.
After that pacey start the game settled down more after that with Cray still looking the most likely scorers and did have the ball in the net again in the 25th minute when from a free kick, Frankie Raymond’s ball into the box was glanced in by Tom Bonner but was disallowed possibly for offside or a push.
Then for Cray, Nzala who worked hard down the left to create openings set up Alex Hernandez for a shot from outside the area that was held by Prall.
Before half time another Wands free kick from Hernandez was glanced off target by Bonner while for Ramsgate Tijan Jadama’s cross for Mitchell May saw a low effort held by Harry Seaden. For Cray, Hernandez fired well over from a free kick but at half time Cray may have been slightly unfortunate not to be ahead.
HT: 1-1
The second half began with a substitution for Cray with Luke Allen coming on for Harry Waldock. Cray began the half similar to the first and the impressive Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera shot over. Then Frankie Raymond cut inside and fired a shot which went fractionally past the right post.
Ramsgate though were looking more threatening themselves and almost took the lead when May and Jadama combined to find Paxman down the left and his ball fizzed across the box and ex-Wand Joe Taylor just couldn’t get a touch to the cross.
Ten minutes into the second half Ramsgate again came close this time from a centrally placed free kick and Paxman’s shot cannoned off the top of the crossbar possibly by a finger tip of Seaden and back out into play.
Cray had a great chance to retake the lead when from a corner the right from Adaja was swung to the far post and Nzala hooked a volley across goal and behind.
For Ramsgate Benedict Bioletti who had an impressive second half set up Jerome Binnon-Williams who volleyed over.
The game was beginning to just flag when the game burst back into life in the last twenty minutes with Josh Williams, Nods Bobomurodov and Chris Dickson brought on. Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera saw a shot held and Freddie Taylor down the right shot over.
Cray came close in the 82nd minute when Josh Williams cut inside from the left and slipped a pass through to Dickson who clipped the right post but it appeared was offside and probably wouldn’t have counted.
Then Dickson saw a shot pushed out at the right post and Frankie Raymond saw a shot deflected for a corner from which Tom Bonner just couldn’t purchase on his header and went behind.
In the closing minutes Bioletti saw a free kick deflected to Seaden and then from a corner the ball came to Paxman who shot wide but in the end it would have been terribly hard on Cray not to pick something up from the game and played well and at this early stage of the season after nine games deserve to be in the top 5. The point puts Cray onto 16 points while Ramsgate who have moved up the table in recent weeks are 8th on 13 points.
Cray now move on to what should be a great match on Tuesday night at home to 4th placed Dulwich Hamlet who are level on points with Cray.
A note also that due to St Albans City’s FA Cup win at Woodford Town, the scheduled league game on 11th October will now be rescheduled.
Ramsgate: Aidan Prall, Donvieve Jones, Billy Munday, Raphe Brown (Jerome Binnom-Williams, 45), Tom Clifford, Benedict Biolett (Kai Garrett, 87), Mitchell May (Ryan Kingsford, 70), Alfie Paxman, Tijan Jadama (Capt.), Joe Taylor: Sub: Leo Todd
Booked: May 42, Barnes 50
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Freddie Taylor, Remi Sutton, Tom Bonner (Capt.), Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Frankie Raymond, Harry Waldock (Luke Allen, H/T), Kareem Isiaka (Josh Williams, 70), Ashley Nzala (Chris Dickson, 79), Alex Hernandez (Nods Bobomurodov, 74), Lateef Adaja: Sub: Quade Taylor
Booked: Waldock 20, Allen 54, Owiredu-Gyamera 62
Referee: Joshua Williams
Assistants: Stephen Ryan, Thomas Reed
Att: 947
