PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SE DIV
RAMSGATE 2 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 2 - 13 APRIL 2024 - ATT 2,563
GOALS: R - GREEN 85, PAXMAN A 97
CV - LISBIE 41, PARKER 55

The Rams late fightback denied Valley a 17th consecutive league away win and leaves the title race still open. The Rams remain top on goal difference but have just two games left whereas Valley still have three to play so the task is very much in their own hands.

Danny Waldren goes close with a header at the end of the game

Guest Match Report by Richard J Green

Alfie Paxman's strike deep into injury time ensured that the battle for Isthmian League South East supremacy - and with it a place in the Premier division - entered the final two weeks of the season still in the balance. In front of an attendance of 2563 - the highest gate in the league this season - a tense, nervy game failed to live up to the billing of two top sides who had previously found the net 190 times this season between them.

The hosts started on the front foot with several balls into the heart of the Millers' defence seeking to find 49 goal striker Joe Taylor.
Valley suffered an early blow as midfielder Sonny Black took a knock on the knee that resulted in him having to be replaced on the hour.
But a first half of few chances - in which Ramsgate's well drilled "offside trap" frequently caught visiting raiders - burst into life 5 minutes before the break as Valley striker Kyrell Lisbie burst through on the left to fire low past Tom Hadler to open the scoring.
With referee Joseph Dann-Pye seemingly happy to caution men in blue - Lisbie and centre back Arthur Lee being the only recipients of yellow in the half while Taylor in particular was no angel in red - the visitors will have been happy with the half time lead.

A lead that was in fact extended in the 55th minute when Lisbie again broke into the penalty area on the left before squaring a cross from which Freddie Parker slotted home from close range For Rams manager Ben Smith, it was time to take action - bringing right winger Benny Bioletti and the commanding attacking figure of Joe Turner into the fray. This move seemed to fire the hosts into action as Bioletti tormented Michael Ademiluyi and Clement Asiedu on the right, before firing balls into attacking areas for Turner and Taylor to feed off.

Lisbie was denied adding a third for Valley by the legs of Hadler when played in on goal by Matt Vigor’s neat pass. Coombes replaced the hard working Parker who suffered a hamstrung injury, while Denzel Gayle come on for Lisbie. After a tussle in the dug out area resulted in a Ramsgate coach seeing red along with yellow cards for managers Smith and Steve McKimm, it took strong words from experienced Valley midfielder Danny Waldron to get the management teams of both sides to 'settle down'.

With the game seemingly heading to a decsive win for the visitors, Jordan Green fired past Millers keeper Max Ovenden five minutes from time to offer a crumb of hope for the seasiders. A crumb that was to become a feast as eight minutes of added time was indicated by Dann-Pye. As Ademiluyi injured himself committing a foul midway in the Valley half, a sustained period of treatment had the winger having to leave the field of play. From the resulting restart, a break down the Ramsgate right saw the ball cut inside for Paxman to fire home with 97 minutes on the clock. A further five minutes were played out quite comfortably by the visitors, with a Waldren header tipped over by the Rams keeper, before the final whistle brought relief in a point that could have been so much more.

MOM - Joe Turner (Ramsgate)

Millers: Ovenden, Williams, Oshilaja, Lee (c), Asiedu, Ademiluyi, Black (Della-Verde 63), Waldren, Vigor, Lisbie (Gayle 77), Parker (Coombes 66) Subs not used: Barrington, Chambers
Cautions: Lisbie, Della-Verde, Lee, Waldren, (Bench yellow card McKimm)

Rams: Hadler, Parter (Turner 61), Brefo, Martin, Paxman J (Bioletti 62), Taylor, Green, Paxman A, A-Warren (Anidugbe 61), Christie, Jadama Subs not used: Stone, Elito
Cautions: None (Bench red card McFarlane, yellow card Smith)

Referee – Joseph Dann-Pye
Assistants – Stuart Beadle and Jacob Miller