Ramsgate 0-3 Bishop's Stortford - All I ask is for consistency - Ward

Saturday 21st November 2009

RAMSGATE 0-3 BISHOP’S STORTFORD
FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 21st November 2009
Mike Green reports from Southwood Stadium

RAMSGATE bowed out of the FA Carlsberg Trophy by Blue Square South Bishops Stortford, but Jim Ward's side were left to rue what might have been on a day of "if only's" at Southwood.

Two poor defensive mistakes cost the Rams two first half goals and when the visitors substitute Lewis Riddle broke to score Bishops Stortford's third, Ramsgate were left to rue what might have been.

"That's why we got relegated last season," admitted the Rams boss to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. "We made similar mistakes last season and went down and cannot do that against opposition from that level. Then again it seems as though we might get away with in Ryman One South."

But whilst his side's performance pleased their manager, Ward was far from pleased about the performance of the match official Mr Carl Brook.

"I don't mind losing on an even playing field," Ward fumed after the game, "but he made it clear from the start that they were two divisions above us, and didn't they just get the decisions?"

Ward's comments referred to two decisions in the second half - the first of which concerned a back pass towards the Stortford net (which was questionable to put it politely) that had both Stevland Angus and Glen Southam confronting the referee showing clear dissent.

Moments later, Mr Brook cautioned both Will Graham and Sam Jones for dissenting a decision made by the official.

"All I ask for is consistency," Ward said, "tell me if that was consistent? And then, young Tom (Tsangarides) gets flatten in the box and we don't get a penalty! Please tell me where is the consistency?"

Whilst we cannot comment on what was said to the official or that "two wrongs do not make a right" it was difficult not to have a certain degree of sympathy for Ward, who admitted to having a soft spot for the competition.

"We've got an important league game at Chatham on Tuesday and that's our priority, but that said, we've had a couple of decent runs in the Trophy and its a shame that we're not in the hat on Monday morning.”

Stortford came into the game just outside the Play Off places of Blue Square South, but on the back of defeat against struggling Weymouth last week - and early on they looked like a shell shocked side lacking confidence.

Inside the first five minutes, Sam Jones tested Stortford keeper Nicky Eyre with a low drive following a short corner.

Charlie Sheringham then missed a golden chance to put the visitors in front on 11 minutes. A long clearance was missed by Graham, and the former Welling United striker raced clear to the edge of the box before placing his shot wide of advancing keeper Danny Twyman, but also well wide of the left post.

James Gregory's free kick then caused chaos in the Stortford defence as it bounced through the box. Gary Mickelborough reacted quickest to head goalwards but keeper Nicky Eyre backpedelled to tip the ball over.

On 28 minutes the game turned on its head as against the run of play, the visitors took the lead.

Ryan Dolby was disposed by Sheringham, who squared the ball to Ashley Nicholls who had time to pick his spot and beat Twyman from the edge of the box.

It should have been two on 33 minutes when again poor defending saw the ball fall to Marlon Patterson, but he blazed high and wide.

Ramsgate didn't heed the warning signs, and on the stroke of half time it was 2-0.

Again, the Rams had two chances to clear, as the ball fell to Hussan Sulaimam, who like Nicholls accepted the gift and blasted home past the helpless Twyman.

You looked for a response and an early goal in the second half from the home side, and we so nearly got it.

Just before the hour, Graham's long free kick fell to an unmarked Dolby at the far post, and the young defender’s half volley was brilliantly turned aside by keeper Eyre.

Mickelborough then almost got on the end of a quick free kick, but the ball bobbled through to the keeper, before on 71 minutes the home side were denied what appeared to be a blatant penalty, when defender Matt Jones appeared to push Tsangarides from behind in the box, only for the referee to wave the penalty claims away.

And then just to add insult to Ramsgate's injury, Stortford sealed their progress on 81 minutes. With the Rams pressing to try and get back into the game, Sheringham lead a three on two break and when the former Welling man played in Riddle, the substitute drilled the ball under Twyman and into the net.

With the festive now approaching fast, I somehow get the feeling that Mr Brook will get any Christmas cards from the red half of Thanet.

Ramsgate: Danny Twyman, James Gregory (Simon Pettit 79), Andy Hadden, Jason Dolby, Will Graham, Ben Laslett, Liam Quinn (Rhys Lawson 73), Warren Schulz, Gary Mickelborough, Gary Lockyer (Tom Tsangarides 51), Sam Jones.
Subs: Kenny Pratt, Sam Mott.

Booked: Gary Lockyer 14, Sam Jones 68, Will Graham 68, Warren Schulz 82

Bishop’s Stortford: Nicky Eyre, Ben Nunn, Matt Jones, Scott Shulton, Stevland Angus, Tom Champion, Hussan Sulaiman (Lewis Smith 72), Glen Southam, Ashley Nicholls, Charlie Sheringham (Roy Essandoh 83), Marlon Patterson (Lewis Riddle 64)
Subs: Alli Abdullahi, Bert Greenwood.

Goals: Ashley Nicholls 28, Hussan Sulaiman 40, Lewis Riddle 81

Booked: Stevland Angus 63, Lewis Riddle 81, Ben Nunn 82, Nicky Eyre 90

Attendance: 298
Referee: Mr Carl Brook (St Leonads-on-Sea, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Andy Colewell & Mr Leigh Crowhurst