Ramsgate 3-2 Harlow Town

Nick Davis, Warren Schulz and Steffan Ball’s goals helped the home side’s narrow victory, despite a late comeback from the visitors at Southwood.

A hot day saw the Rams’ make an explosive start when, after 2 minutes of play, Dean Hill’s long throw was flicked on by Ball, to be met by Davis who headed past ‘keeper Jamie Lunan.

Ramsgate continued to trouble the away defence and doubled the lead six minutes later when Davis’ freekick found Lee Minsull, who beat the defender and passed to captain Warren Schulz, who slipped the ball past Lunan.

Minshull and Ball linked up well moments later and Ball shot just wide of the post, withstanding heavy pressure from former Ashford Town defender, Marc Cumberbatch.

Warren Schulz and Ball kept terrorising the defence, breaking free on goal, but excellent backtracking from Ben Ginley and Cumberbatch presented the Rams from troubling the ‘keeper.

Leyton came back into the game when the Rams appeared to ease off a little, and Samuel Winston and Billy Bricknell had shots saved by home ‘keeper Paul Wilkerson, while Warren Schulz’s header from Michael Phillips’s free kick was well saved by Lunan.

In injury time at the end of the first half, defender Will Graham took out Bricknell in the penalty area and referee Lee Venamore awarded a spot kick without protest, and Winston slotted the ball past Wilkerson to make it 2-1 at half-time.

Leyton had a great chances to equalise after the break when Cumberbatch’s header went over the bar, and following that a Ray Pontyn cross into the penalty saw Bricknell’s touch excellently saved by Wilkerson.

However, on 65 minutes Ball scored a goal for he Rams, well deserved by his excellent work rate throughout the game.

It started from Hill’s throw in and, with his back to goal, Ball turned Rio Alderton and blasted past Lunan from close range.

Ramsgate could have had a penalty when Ball was tripped by Alderton, however, it appeared the referee was unsighted.

Shortly after Bricknell turned Davis and slotted the ball past Wilkerson to make it an uneasy final eight minutes for the home fans.

Ramsgate: Wilkerson, Vallance (Burton 62), Hill, Davis, O Schulz, Graham, Hadden (S Pettit 67), W Schulz, Minshull, Ball, Phillips (Laslett 62).
Subs: S Vahid, Tanner

Referee: Mr Lee Venamore
Assistants: Mr Richard Joss & Mr Babatunde Adebayo