Ramsgate vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 27th August, 3 pm
Pics: Steve Cullum, Ozay Booth
Cray Wanderers make their first visit into Kent of the season on Saturday as Tim O’Shea’s visit Isthmian South-East Champions Ramsgate for the first ever Isthmian Premier meeting between the two sides. Kick off 3 pm.
The Wands come into the game unbeaten in three league games and buoyed by a fine fightback last Saturday which saw a 1-3 deficit overturned in the second half to beat Hashtag United 4-3 at Flamingo Park. It looked like being a tough afternoon for Cray after a difficult first half despite Lateef Adaja’s fifth minute leveller. However, the second half saw a more energised Wands side and another Adaja goal was joined by two late strikes from Alex Hernandez and helped maintain a steady start to the season.
The win moved Cray up to 6th and on to 15 points a total the Wands didn’t reach until November last season and despite having a few injuries in the early weeks of the season to key players.
The Wands have one more home match to come in September vs Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday before a busy October which includes games against Bishop’s Stortford in the FA Trophy, AFC Wimbledon in the London Senior Cup and league games vs St Albans City and Dartford at home and Dulwich Hamlet and Chatham Town away.
Ramsgate will provide tough opposition and have been a side used to winning in recent years with Ben Smith’s side not only winning the Isthmian South-East with 109 points last season but had two 2nd placed finishes in 2022-23 and 2023-24 before missing out on promotion via the playoffs. They also reached the FA Cup 2nd Round in 2023-24 before losing in a televised tie at AFC Wimbledon.
Ramsgate come into the game in good form after a sticky start to the season and lie 9th on 12 points and are unbeaten in four league matches. Talismanic ex-Wands striker Joe Taylor returned to the club earlier this month from Billericay Town and after netting 101 goals over the previous two season has already netted twice on his return. On Tuesday night, Ramsgate travelled to Welling United and came away with an impressive 4-1 win with goals from Mitchell May, Alfie Paxman, Donvieve Jones and Joe Taylor.
So far at home Ramsgate have beaten Whitehawk (3-2) and Potters Bar Town (2-1). They drew with Dartford (4-4) and were beaten by Dulwich Hamlet (0-2). Away from home Ramsgate drew at Billericay Town and Lewes and were beaten at Chatham Town and Cray Valley PM. In the FA Cup 1QR, Ramsgate like Cray bowed out at this stage losing at home to Cray Valley PM and also were beaten by Margate at home in the Kent Senior Cup. In the FA Trophy next weekend Ramsgate visit Leatherhead. Top scorer so far is Alfie Paxman with seven goals.
Cray and Ramsgate have had many battles over the years and decades especially in the Kent League days but in the Isthmian League era the sides have met eight times with two wins apiece and four draws. The last time the sides met at Ramsgate in the league was on 16th February 2018 in the Isthmian South-East and finished in a 2-2 draw with Joe Taylor and Junior Dadson scoring for Cray and Tom Chapman and Gil Carvalho for Ramsgate.
The sides have met in cup competitions in that time including two seasons ago at the 2nd Qualifying Round stage as Ramsgate won 3-2 at home in a replay after a 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane in what was the final home FA Cup tie played there by the Wands. There have also been three other meetings with a win apiece in the Kent Senior Cup and Ramsgate won a Isthmian League Cup tie at Hayes Lane in the 2011-12 season.
Games at Ramsgate are always strong and competitive battles and with both sides in the top ten in the league this promises to be no different as both look to keep their unbeaten runs going.
DIRECTIONS TO RAMSGATE FC
WW Martin Ltd Community Stadium
Southwood Stadium
Price’s Avenue
Ramsgate
KENT CT11 0AN
Admission:
£12 Adults, £8 Concessions (over 60’s), Under 18s – Free
Pay on the gate available Cash or Card
Approach Ramsgate from the west via A299 (Canterbury/London) or A256
(Dover/Folkestone) to Lord of Manor roundabout. Follow the signpost to Ramsgate along Canterbury Road East, counting via 2nd exit of the 1st roundabout. At the 2nd roundabout, continues towards Ramsgate on London Road (2nd exit). Take the 3rd turning on the left, into St Mildred’s Avenue, then 1st left into Queen Bertha Road. After the right hand bend, take left into Southwood Road, and 1st left into Prices Ave. The stadium is at the end of Prices Avenue. There is ample free parking at the ground or on the surrounding streets.
The nearest railway station is Ramsgate, which is probably 10-15 minutes walk away. When you come out of the station turn right, and walk along Wilfred Road (past the sorting office) and straight on at the traffic lights at the junction with St Lawrence Park Road into Grange Road. Follow Grange Road until you get to shopping centre and at Zebra crossing turn right into Southwood Road. Go up Southwood road, following road round to right at the top, then turn 1st left into Prices Avenue.
For those going by train from Bromley South direct trains to Ramsgate leave at 57 minutes past the hour. The journey takes 1 hr 52 minutes. You can catch a 27 minutes past train which requires a change at Chatham. If you wish to go from St Mary Cray, there are trains at 11 or 31 past the hour which require a change at Rochester or Sevenoaks. Returns to St Mary Cray at 02 and 42 past the hour. For Bromley South the direct service is at 53 past the hour. There is a fast service from Ebbsfleet International at 23, 39 and 59 past the hour.
You should find quite a few pubs in and around Ramsgate itself. Perhaps the nearest to the ground are the Australian Arms and the St Lawrence Tavern in the High Street.
Pub Guide:
The St Lawrence Tavern – High Street, Ramsgate CT11 0QP
The Queen’s Head – 78 Harbour Parade CT11 8LP
Royal Victoria Pavilion (JD Wetherspoon) Harbour Parade CT11 8LS
The Waterfront – 88 Harbour Parade, CT11 8LP
The Coastal Bar – 37 Harbour Street, CT11 8HA
Horse & Groom – Charlotte Court, Ramsgate CT11 8HE
Mariners Bar – 34 York Street, CT11 9DS
Churchill Tavern – 19-11 Paragon, Ramsgate CT11 9JX
The Belle Vue – Pegwell Road, CT11 0NJ
There are many more to choose from if you are making a day/weekend of it.
I’m sure many of you would have been to Ramsgate at some point in time perhaps on a family holiday, on business or to catch a cross channel ferry. It lies in the East of the county and is part of the area of Thanet which includes Margate and Broadstairs. A major sea port and the home of the only Royal Harbour in the UK and had a big bearing during the Napoleonic Wars and the Dunkirk evacuation where the harbour was a starting point for the mission mainly for the small boats. There is also an airfield at Manston which was an RAF base during the First World War and is now the Kent International Airport.
It is mostly known for its seacoast and the Ramsgate Main Sands which is a major blue flag winning beach. It was also a destination for cross channel ferries to Ostende until 2013 and has a 700 berth Marina. Unless you are making a complete day of the fact we are playing on a Saturday at the beginning of Autumn means it should be a good day to travel.
