I don't fear anyone in this league, says Ramsgate boss Tim Dixon

Friday 22nd March 2013

RAMSGATE boss Tim Dixon says he wants to retain his place in the top-five when he takes his side to Merstham tomorrow.

The Rams moved into the Ryman League Division One South play-off zone after grabbing a 2-0 win at Herne Bay on Wednesday night.

Striker Ian Pulman, 28, scored twice in the last eight minutes to claim victory at Winch’s Field to ensure that there are six Kent clubs in the top eight.

Dixon is looking forward to playing Merstham, a side that are managed by former Bromley boss Hayden Bird, but are in a disappointing thirteenth-place in the table, with 44 points from 34 games and were defeated 1-0 by Whitstable Town at Belmont Road on Tuesday night.

“Away from home, apart from the Folkestone result, we’ve been good. We’ve beaten Hythe, we’ve drawn with Faversham, we’ve beaten Whitstable so we’ve had some good results away from home,” said Dixon.

“It will be another tough game. We had them watched against Whitstable on Tuesday night. I don’t think we can tell a lot about that. They weren’t particularly good on the night, but they’ve got quality players, including (former Faversham Town striker) Adrian Stone and Gary Andrews, who was at Leatherhead. It will be the third time that he’s played against us this season because he played against us for Leatherhead and Walton Casuals and now we’ve got him at Merstham.”

When asked whether striker Andrews has scored against Ramsgate this season, Dixon said: “No he hasn’t thankfully. He’s a good seasoned player. They know their stuff. We know a little bit about them. We’ve done our homework.”

Ramsgate have played the most games than their play-off challenging rivals and Dixon knows he is entering a vital part of the season.

“I don’t fear anyone in this league really,” he said.

“Bank Holiday Monday we’re away at (league leaders) Maidstone and as long as we turn up on the day and the lads are right, I think we can beat anybody in the league.”

Before that, however, Ramsgate welcome Herne Bay to Southwood Stadium on Good Friday and Dixon said: “You get occasions like that when you draw a team in the FA Cup and you get them again in a league game and that happens now and again. It happened to us against Whitehawk last year. Sometimes you get a bit fed up with playing against each other.

“It’s home and away. I treat it like a two-legged cup match. We’ve won the first leg, now we’ve got to win the second leg.”

When asked how many points Ramsgate must collect to secure a place in the play-off lottery at the end of the season, Dixon replied, “It’s a question I was asked not so long ago. To be honest with you as long as we pick up our points, I’m not going to worry about anyone else. We’ve just got to keep putting good performances in and trying to get the points.”

Club stalwart, Warren Schulz, who is in his testimonial year, is available after completing his two-match suspension. Tom Chapman has one more match to go before he can play again.

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk

Merstham v Ramsgate
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 23^rd March 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Weldon Way, Merstham, Surrey RH1 3QB