ramsgatevdeal071003

A mad five minutes cost Ramsgate the chance to go third in the table.

Actually it was 2 minutes, against the run of play Deal had taken the lead in the 75^th minute, Mitford volleying in a poorly defended free kick. Ramsgate continued as they had for the previous half hour of the second period almost encamped in the Deal half.

In the 86th minute from a defensive clearance two Deal players seemed well offside but were allowed to play on, Simon Petit chased back, caught up and took the ball from the attacker a couple of feet outside the box. From some 25 yards away the referee adjudged the tackle to be unfair and within the box and awarded a penalty,

Ramsgate keeper Danny Twyman and Simon Petit both complained about the award and were cautioned, it being his second caution Petit was also given the red card. Marjoram converted the spot kick to give Deal a 2-0 lead.

Less than a minute later John Ovard’s name was added to the referees book a sixth caution in a match that both teams would later agree to have been free of any really bad challenges.

Another minute on the clock and Ramsgate were reduced to 9 men, Tony Ritrovato received his second yellow and followed Petit for the early shower. To add to the misery of the Rams supporters Mitford added a third for Deal from the resulting free kick.

It was a sorry end to what had been an entertaining if not enthralling match, Ramsgate had around 80% of the possession but were unable to capitalise on their domination. Deal took their chances when they finally came.

Ramsgate: Twyman, Brown, Morris, Guiver, O. Schulz, W. Schulz, Petit, Ritravato, Robinson, Takaloo, Gregory (Ovard), Subs not used Woolford Payne

Deal Town: M. Smith, Waring, Stevens, Calvin, Marriott, Murray, Hughes, Laslett, McCairns, Marjoram, Mitford, Subs: Weatherly, Biggington, Wilson D. Smith