Ramsgate 0-1 Leatherhead - We don't want to be midtable also-rans, says Ramsgate boss Tim Dixon

RAMSGATE  0-1  LEATHERHEAD
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 10^th August 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Southwood Stadium

RAMSGATE manager Tim Dixon could not hide his frustration after his side suffered an opening day defeat to familiar looking Leatherhead.

Eleven of Leatherhead’s sixteen-man squad have all played for Kent clubs in the past, but a 30-yard screamer from Matt Smart, who joined the club from Metropolitan Police in December 2012, gave Leatherhead a deserved three points at Southwood Stadium.

Leatherhead finished one place outside the Ryman League Division One South play-offs last season in sixth-place, one place better than Ramsgate, who also finished on 70 points, but Folkestone Invicta grabbed fifth-place because Neil Cugley’s side collected one more point.

“It was always going to be a tough game and it proved that way,” said Dixon, 47, afterwards.

“I think at the end of the day we deserved something out of it. I think we started well for the first 20 minutes. I was quite pleased with the first 20 minutes. We got amongst them and caused them a couple of problems and then we died off at half-time.”

Dixon added: “The annoying thing is the result. I’m frustrated about the result because I think we could’ve got something out of it.

“Frustrated about the couple of injuries.  I’ve got a couple of players who are actually playing with a couple of niggles as well. Not ideal but such is their desire they want to play football.

“Ollie Schulz’s got a broken toe that he’s still playing with. Dean Hill’s been struggling with a thigh injury and he had to come off at the end.  It’s just too much for him and Luke Wheatley has been struggling as well but he came on for Dean. It’s not an excuse. You could do without it first game of the season.”

Leatherhead manager Richard Brady, 30, suffered two league defeats at the hands of Ramsgate last season and the former Sittingbourne manager was pleased with his side’s start to the season.

“We was happy enough. We’ve got three points first game, a clean sheet, so you couldn’t ask for a lot more,” said Brady.

“Our away performances were really good last year so we don’t mind coming away but they’ll (Ramsgate) be up there. They’re not a bad team.  It’s always difficult to come to a team that’s pushing and take all three points so you’ve got to be pleased.”

With so many familiar faces in the visitors’ line up it seemed like Leatherhead have moved across from Surrey to Kent.

Dartford based Brady said: “My contacts are actually going to be in Kent. I know Tony Burman really well at Dartford, Jay Saunders at Maidstone and Jamie Day at Welling.

“Last year we kind of went half and half.  Through situations it came to fruition this year. It’s just easy to go with the players that became available and if they’re good players I don’t really care where they’re from.  We’ve just signed the players that I thought we needed to improve the team and especially in the first half we showed some good football.”

Leatherhead will be training in Dartford (not Princes Park) this season and when quizzed why they don’t train close to where the club is based, Brady replied, “This question always gets asked and moaned about. We train at Leatherhead when it suits us to train at Leatherhead when we can get on to the pitch. We’ve got a really good facility at Dartford and it’s more centrally based for the players. It’s not that we’re not allowed at Leatherhead. When we can get on the pitch, it’s a really nice pitch at Leatherhead that the groundsman does so we wouldn’t want to ruin that so when he doesn’t let us on it we just use our heads. Logistically it’s better for the players that we’ve got in this year to train centrally in Dartford.”

Dixon said he knew what to expect from a familiar Leatherhead team.

“We knew about Bradders (Tom Bradbrook) and Taity (Alan Tait) up front,” he said. “Obviously Tom Parkinson was with us last year. We know Jamie Coyle and I spoke to Adam Burchell at the beginning of the season and he chose to go to Leatherhead (after leaving Kent League double winners Erith & Belvedere) so they’re all familiar faces and Brady’s been involved in Kent football a long time.”

Ramsgate created the first chance with only 57 seconds on the clock when a throw from left-back Curtis Robinson was headed out by man-of-the-match Jerry Nnamani and Ramsgate right-back James Sherman cracked a right-footed hooked volley sailing over the bar from 35-yards.

Leatherhead’s opening chance arrived shortly afterwards when former Maidstone United keeper Deren Ibrahim launched a diagonal kick to release Kevin Terry down the left and his floated cross was glanced wide by former Sittingbourne striker Tom Bradbrook from eight-yards.

A throw from former Canterbury City and Ramsgate defender Tom Parkinson set up a chance for Paul Semakula and the central midfielder stroked his left-footed shot wide of the far post from 25-yards.

Former Hythe Town winger Jake Hobbs then swept in a hanging free-kick from the left with his right-foot and former Dartford and Sittingbourne central defender Jamie Coyle sent his towering header sailing over the bar from ten-yards.

But Leatherhead’s best chance came in the 20^th minute when The Tanners went route one.

Ibrahim launched a free-kick up field which was glanced forward by Bradbrook to release Allan Tait and the much-travelled striker was denied from eight-yards by Ramsgate keeper Daren Hawkes at the near post, who held on to the right-footed shot as the striker steered his effort towards goal from an acute angle.

Another long kick from the Leatherhead keeper sailed forward and Sherman did well to head the ball away whilst stretching and the ball fell to Terry who cracked a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which screamed past the right-hand post.

But Leatherhead were denied in controversial circumstances when Bradbrook lashed his right-footed shot into the roof of the net but an offside flag appeared to be raised and referee Mr Kevin Welsh brought play back and decided to award the Surrey side a free-kick instead – but they were soon to score the 29^th minute winner.

Bradbrook was booked for his protests but Hobbs smashed his right-footed free-kick into the Ramsgate wall and Smart cracked a stunning right-footed volley from 30-yards, which flew into the top left-hand corner, appearing to go through the fingers of Hawkes who had raised both his arms above his head in an attempt to pluck the ball out of the air.

Dixon said: “The lad’s hit a worldy from about 25-30 yards top corner. We could’ve closed it down a bit better but other than that there was not too much created either end really.

When asked about Bradbrook’s disallowed goal, Dixon said: “The whistles blown and people have stopped. I think it’s one of them. If you’re the manager who’s the goal goes in against you’ll say yes the ref was right but before that we’ve missed two tackles so it should’ve never got to that stage as far as I’m concerned but it’s one of those things. 

“He’ll (Brady) have a couple that will go for him in the season and a couple will go against him as well so they even themselves out over the course of the season.”

Brady was asked why he thought Bradbrook’s goal was ruled out.

He said: “What I said to the ref, what was a bit silly there was he played on. He’s put his hand up. He’s made a mistake. He basically thought there was an offside decision. It wasn’t. It was a foul so therefore you can’t….

“He’s put his hands up. He’s made a mistake. That could be the difference between three points and one can’t it?  I’m not happy with that.”

Dixon praised his former Gillingham goalkeeper for nearly stopping the screamer.

He said: “It was right in the stanchion. If he has got his hands to it he’s done well to get his hands to it anyway because it was travelling as well.

“He (Smart) couldn’t have hit it any better. He probably won’t hit a ball any better this season but disappointing really. It wasn’t a case of switching off. I think as the ball hit the wall it’s came out to him a little bit further out. We could’ve had someone go out. It’s an absolute worldy! He won’t hit another one like that all season!”

Brady was naturally delighted with the winning goal and said: “Absolutely amazing goal! A great goal fit to win any game so it’s just a great strike, a great goal for someone who hasn’t been around pre-season due to injury.  There was a bit of a doubt if whether we’d play him. That decision has certainly been rectified in the fact what he did!”

Ramsgate then fashioned their first chance of the first half when right-winger Tom Champion whipped in a hanging cross towards the near post where Ollie Schulz rose to glance his header straight at Ibrahim from six-yards.

Dixon said: “I don’t think we created too many chances first half but over the course of the game there was one that flashed across the goal which was dying for someone to put a header or a foot to it.  Three of our players missed it. That’s the one for me that got away.”

Hobbs, who was soon to be forced off through injury, cut inside before hitting a dipping right-footed drive from 30-yards, which bounced past the far post.

Hobbs then swung in a free-kick with his right-foot from the left and Tait rose with Ramsgate skipper Dean Hill to send his header wide.

Dixon, meanwhile, was pleased with his side’s second half performance.

“Second half was much better,” he said.  “The boys reacted at half-time. We knew we had to raise it a little bit to get something out of the game.  We changed it around a little bit towards the end of the game.”

Leatherhead were denied a second goal inside the opening six minutes of the second half when a goalline clearance from Hill saved the Rams.

Hawkes pumped the ball forward, which was headed back by a powerful headed clearance from Nnamani and Bradbrook’s flick released Tait down the right. The striker dinked the ball across and Bradbrook’s header was destined to find the right-hand corner before Hill prodded the ball off the line.

However, flat Ramsgate suffered similar fate in the 53^rd minute.

Debutant David Pilcher swung in a free-kick with his right-foot towards the far post where Schulz rose to loop his header across goal and Ibrahim did well to claw the ball away from underneath the crossbar and Coyle cleared the ball off the line.  The ball came out to Andy Miller, who fizzed his shot screaming past the post from sixteen-yards.

Leatherhead substitute Luke Mathias almost deceived the diving Hawkes when he stroked a left-footed shot from 25-yards, which bounced awkwardly ahead of the diving keeper. However, the former Gillingham stopper dived to his right to tip the ball around the post.

Dixon said: “He got one of them. It was a nasty bobble that bobbled in front of him. He done well to get a finger on it in the end because they’re the ones you see that go over. I remember David James letting in one like that. It just hit a bobble in front of him and it flew over him just as he was about to pick it up and it was very similar to that. I think it would’ve been harsh if it had gone in.”

Brady added: “It bounced in front of him and he pushed it around.  We had a few chances to go 2-0 and we didn’t, so overall we’re happy.”

A clever pass from Pilcher picked out Miller’s run in the 59^th minute and the Ramsgate winger hit a first time low right-footed volley from 22-yards, which brought a comfortable low save from Ibrahim.

Dixon added: “Weak effort really. There was a chance to put either Ratty (Everitt) or Puly (Pulman) in. He didn’t really strike it well enough. It was never going to be a goal but he got in a couple of good positions. It’s just that little bit that he has to improve on – that last final ball through that needs a little bit better quality from him.”

Pilcher swung over a corner from the left which Schulz out-jumped striker James Everitt to send his downward header wide of the near post from sixteen-yards.

Ramsgate lacked any threat up front as the partnership of Nnamani and Coyle kept Pulman and Everitt in their pockets.

Robinson ran forward before he threated the ball through to Pulman, who rolled a poor right-footed shot wide of the left-hand post from 22-yards.

Dixon said: “He had a good game Jerry, he’s not a bad player. He’s been around a while. I don’t think we hurt him enough really going back the other way. He’s a big lad, he’s six foot four. He should be able to head a ball when it comes on to him.  It’s down the sides of him we didn’t exploit today but something for us to work on.”

Brady was full of praise for his two defenders at the heart of defence.

“Jerry and Jamie are very good players,” said the Leatherhead boss. “We can’t hide the fact that we’ve got good players and if we can stay fit and stay strong and keep doing what we want to do and the boys’ are listening, which I’m sure they will, then I’m sure we will be fine.”

Pilcher whipped in an excellent pacy low free-kick from the right which was missed by Everitt inside a crowded goal-mouth and Hill prodded the ball over as he ghosted in at the far post.

Leatherhead squandered an excellent chance to wrap up the points inside the final thirteen minutes when Coyle clipped the ball over the top of the Ramsgate back four to put Bradbrook through but he steered his right-footed shot across Hawkes and past the far post from sixteen-yards.

Brady added: “It’s a great ball by Jamie. I thought the legs had gone for Bradders there. In a couple of games he goes on and at least makes the keeper work!”

Ramsgate almost grabbed a point when they were denied by a smart save from Ibrahim with eight minutes left.

A quiet Pulman was tripped just a yard outside the penalty area and Pilcher clipped his right-footed free-kick up and over the wall and the ball dipped down towards the roof of the net but Ibrahim stuck out his right arm to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

Brady said: “He’s a great goalkeeper Del. He’s come through Dartford’s Academy with me so I’m happy to have him here.”

Dixon heaped praise on Pilcher, the Dover Athletic Academy prospect, who had a good game.

He said: “The young lad who’s come in from Dover was unlucky not to score with a direct free-kick when it’s come off the bar.

“He’s done well on his debut for us.  Tough game to play against. He was up against a very tough midfield.”

Dixon expects Pilcher to be pushing for a place in Chris Kinnear’s first team squad in The Skrill South (Conference South) at Crabble in the future – but needs to gain experience at this level first.

“I spoke to Chris and Jake Leberl last week and he won’t get games in the first team squad at the moment at Dover. He will in the future.  I’m positive he will because the lad’s decent. He’s got to be a bit noisier on the pitch. He’s got to make himself a bit of a presence but there’s no doubt in his ability and one day he’ll step up to that standard.

“We’ve done that with Macauley Murray. He’s come into our team and he’s one of our better players and we missed him today, but David’s filled that role very well.  He’s eighteen but he’s got a bright future as long as he keeps listening to the right people and keep doing the right things.”

Dixon always speaks to his squad out on the pitch before facing the media before going into the dressing room.

“It’s so disappointing not to get a positive result first game of the season at home in front of our own fans but I think Leatherhead will be close at the end of the season,” said Dixon.

“Tough game to start with. I really think we should’ve got something out of it.

“It’s a long season. I’ve just told them there I hope the lads’ are with me for the duration of the season. That’s down to them because as a club everyone wants to push on. 

“We don’t want to be also-rans. We don’t want to be midtable. We want to give it a go and the whole club have got that philosophy and I have to get that bedded into them early doors as well because we’re not here just to make up the numbers. We want to give it a right go this year.”

When asked about the mood in his players’ at the final whistle, Dixon replied: “They’re a bit down.  I had a chat with them on the pitch afterwards and we wanted to start positively really. 

“Leatherhead will be well happy with that because there’s not many teams who will want to come down here and play us. I wanted to make this a bit of a fortress because we lost far too many points at home last year and did ever so well away from home.  I want that to even itself out.

“I think if we matched our home form with our away form we would’ve got promoted, such is life. You’ve got to get on with it. They’re down. We wanted to start with three points or at least a positive result really, a draw, which I think we probably deserved over the 90 minutes.”

The Ryman League Division One South was won by Dulwich Hamlet last season and they were joined in the Ryman Premier League by runners-up Maidstone United.  Three other Kent sides, Faversham Town, Hythe Town and Folkestone Invicta made the play-off places.

Brady was asked whether his Kent based players could bring the title over to the Surrey club at the end of the 46-league game campaign.

“We’ve got some players and it makes it easier when you’ve got some good players,” came his reply.

“We’ll go to Wednesday and Saturday at home so we’ll look to build on a good performance here. 

“We’re not looking at where (we’ll finish). It’s a long season. We’ll just look at the first ten games and see where we are I suppose and that’s kind of it.

“We want to win games don’t we and therefore if we win games like we want to then we’ll be up there and around it but it’s winning the games that’s so difficult.

“When I was at Sittingbourne I didn’t even have a budget! We still tried to get into the play-offs.  I don’t enter leagues to say you want to finish midtable – what a waste of time that is!

“We want to try and win as many games as we can and then that will look after itself.  I’m not making any predictions or anything like that but we’ll look forward to the challenge of the other teams that will come.

“I think it’s well regarded if you’ve got good players and you’ve got a good team and we’re looking to build the relationship between players then we’ll be ok.”

Ramsgate: Daren Hawkes, James Sherman, Curtis Robinson, Dean Hill (Luke Wheatley 78), Ollie Schulz, Ben Laslett, Tom Chapman, David Pilcher, Ian Pulman, James Everitt (Kane Rowland 86), Andy Miller (Marvin Okundalaiye 73).
Subs: Toby Smith, Shannon Harris

Leatherhead: Deren Ibrahim, Tom Parkinson, Liam Pestle, Matt Smart (Adam Burchell 73), Jeremy Nnamani, Jamie Coyle, Jake Hobbs (Luke Mathias 41), Paul Semakula, Tom Bradbrook (Elie Kayembe 84), Allan Tait, Kevin Terry.
Subs: Billy Parkinson, Mark Wosfold

Goal: Matt Smart 29

Booked: Tom Bradbrook 28

Attendance: 212
Referee: Mr Kevin Welsh (Sittingbourne)
Assistants: Mr Isaac Searle (Herne Bay) & Mr Michael Marsh (Herne Bay)