4thmar04

Thursday 04th March 2004

Ramsgate set to increase youth teams at Southwood

With the strength in the current Ramsgate under eighteen squad, who are almost all "first-year 18s" and this year's under 16's, Go Travel Kent League side Ramsgate are considering entering two under eighteen teams in next season's Kent Youth League championship, writes Stephen McCartney.

The club will again be fielding teams in the under 16, under 15 and under 14 age groups and trials for additional and new players will be held at Southwood in the coming months.

Ramsgate's under eighteen's run of away wins goes on with a well deserved victory at Sittingbourne which puts the Rams in third place and very much in contention for the Kent Youth League Under eighteen South title.

For the second week running with several key players missing, Ramsgate again produced a good win, this time against a strong, physical Sittingbourne side.

Ramsgate started the brighter and contained their opponents in their own half for long periods thanks to the hard working duo of Stuart Elliot and captain Matt Adams.  The only disappointment was, for all Ramsgate's possession, when half time came the score line was still goalless.

In the second half, however, Ramsgate upped the pressure and restricted the home side to long range efforts. 

The goal came from probably the best move of the game.  The ball going straight from Ramgate's goalkeeper Lee Pilcher, through midfield to Zack Zacharia who jinked round three defenders inside the penalty area to slot underneath the advancing Sittingbourne goalkeeper.

From them on it was one-way traffic, but the score could well have been more had it not been for the home goalkeeper.

After the game, Ramsgate's manager said: "A good result considering the lack of experience in the line up this week.  It just shows how well the team have gelled together over the last few months.  Those players missing today will find it hard to regain their places, but it can only be healthy for the team to have that strength in depth."

Ramsgate entertain Deal Town on Sunday (11.00am at Southwood) whilst the under sixteen's entertain Maidstone United (2.30pm)