17thdec03

Howells' hat trick sees Rams home
Ramsgate 4   Fisher Athletic 1
John Ullmann Kent Youth League Invitation Cup 3rd Round
Sunday 14th December 2003
Match report by John Vahid, Ramsgate FC

Ramsgate's Under 18s home cup win on Sunday was well deserved after a gutsy performance on a very gusty morning, with Ramsgate showing Fisher Athletic the art of finishing despite the visitors being a very useful team that included
many players from the dockland reserve side.

As the under dogs Ramsgate were under constant pressure for the first fifteen minutes, but the tables were turned when lively right midfielder Tim McArthur was unceremoniously up-ended in the box, and Ramsgate forward Ross Howells made
no mistake with his spot kick. With the wind at their backs Ramsgate made the most of the first half and on numerous occasions 'keeper Lee Pilcher tested the Fisher 'keeper with his long goal punts. The only surprise when half time
arrived was that all the Ramsgate domination only produced that single goal.

In the second half Ramsgate knew that they would need to defend for long periods facing the wind, and when breaking the ball was to kept at their feet on the pitch.  Within 5 minutes of the restart a surge down the wing what appeared to
be a harmless shot low to the Fisher 'keeper's right crept beneath him and into the net; credit was given to Howells for taking the score to 2-0.

This surprise goal against the strong wind was just the tonic Ramsgate needed, and surge after surge from the midfield duo of Matt Adams and Oliver Donohoe produced further dividends. On the hour Ramsgate added a third when Donohoe let loose a thunderbolt that sailed into the net for a 3-0 lead.

Fisher were by no means without chances of their own, and with the wind behind them broke forward several times only to be thwarted by Pilcher in the Ramsgate goal. Eventually the visitors snatched one back when a quickly taken free kick
made the score 3-1 with 75 minutes on the clock. Shortly afterwards Ramsgate should have put the game beyond Fisher when substitute forward Kenny Pratt was left with only the 'keeper to beat but shot wide.  In the final ten minutes a
resilient Fisher, trying to save the match, pegged Ramsgate back in their last third. However the game was made safe with 6 minutes to go when man of the match Howells headed home his "hat trick" goal.

After the game the Ramsgate Manager confirmed, "Following the disappointing results of the last couple of weeks we decided to go back to basics, which worked a treat. This was a good win against a strong London outfit. The team
spirit was great and the lads deserved to progress to the last eight."

In the quarterfinals Ramsgate will be away to either Chatham Town (South) or Folkestone Invicta, which will be played in mid-January. This Sunday (21st December) the Under 18s are at home to Dover Athletic in the MUSH Kent Youth
League, 11 o'clock kick-off, whilst the following Sunday (28th December) they will be away to Folkestone Invicta in the League.
       
Ramsgate:    Lee Pilcher; James Grainger; Andrew Hadden; Keiran Morris (Capt); Emlyn Taylor; Matt Adams; Tim McArthur (Danny Wisker) 75 mins); Oliver Donohoe; Billy Summers (Kenny Pratt 77 mins); Zack Zacharia (Sam Phillips 64 mins)

Subs not used: Clayton Barnett and Stuart Elliot.