Ramsgate 2-0 Littlehampton Town - I'm pleased to deliver that to the fans because there's going to be a few questions around my appointment, says Ramsgate player-boss Jamie Coyle

Ramsgate 2 – 0 Littlehampton Town
Location	WW Martin Community Stadium, Prices Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 0AN
Kickoff	04/02/2023 15:00

RAMSGATE  2-0  LITTLEHAMPTON TOWN
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 4 February 2023
Stephen McCartney reports on Jamie Coyle’s successful first game in charge of Ramsgate

RAMSGATE newly-appointed player-manager Jamie Coyle says he is feeling pleased that he delivered a victory in his first game in charge after the shock departure of Steve Lovell.

Chairman James Lawson delivered the news that he had parted company with the 62-year-old Welshman in a 38-word statement on the clubs Twitter account last Monday, just a couple of days after the club suffered a 2-0 defeat at Three Bridges.

The Rams were in second-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table at the time but they dropped a place after Beckenham Town stunned leaders Chatham Town with a deserved 2-0 win at Eden Park Avenue on Tuesday night.

Coyle, 39, who joined Ramsgate as a player in August 2021, was appointed manager on Thursday and he appointed Nicky Southall, 51, his assistant manager, while Lee Hook retains his role of goalkeeper coach.

Coyle started the game on the bench but replaced centre-half Ben Fitchett, who was taken to hospital with an ankle injury, halfway through the first half.

Ramsgate controlled a vast majority of the second half and Coyle gave his side a deserved lead through a drilled left-footed half-volley, which screamed into the top far corner, to score his fourth goal of the season.

Former Hastings United and Ashford United winger Gil Carvalho capped off a very impressive second home debut by slotting in a last-gasp clincher to give Ramsgate a deserved victory in front of 578 fans.

“Well, it’s been a real, long difficult week really after finding out on Thursday that I got the job to then taking training on Thursday night on my own because Nicky Southall was unavailable and it was obviously a last minute call to get him in which I’m over the moon about,” said Coyle.

“Dropping myself, giving Jahmal Howlett-Mundle and Ben Fitchett the two centre-half slots and then Fitch getting injured early on, I had to bring myself on, not ideal but outside of myself I thought collectively the team were outstanding.

“I thought we controlled the game in large spells, looked dangerous in possession and after the week for the players and for the management team, I’m really, really pleased.”

Reflecting on Lovell’s last game in charge, Coyle, admitted: “We were poor, we were really, really poor last week and I’m a part of that as well because I played in the game and collectively we wasn’t good enough last week.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Steve. I’ve known him for many, many years and it’s common courtesy really just to give him a call (on Thursday).  When the chairman offered me the job on Thursday and it was fine, absolutely fine.

“I want to thank him (Lovell) for the hard work that he’s put in to get us where we are.  I’ve just got to continue the good work that he done, make a few changes here and there and hopefully that will be enough to get us where we want.”

Ramsgate started the game on the front foot, with right-back Jerald Aboagye often linking up well with Carvalho down the right flank.

The Rams created their first opening after only 58 seconds when Aboagye played the ball down the line for Carvalho, who played a short pass inside for central midfielder Tijan Jadama, who drilled a right-footed shot from 25-yards, which stung the fingers of Littlehampton Town goalkeeper James Binfield, who often choose to punch the ball rather than catch it.

Coyle said: “We’ve done quite a bit of work on Thursday night around some patterns of play and I thought the boys executed that brilliantly today, in possession and out of possession.  We were solid and organised as well so we started really well. The tempo was there and I’m going home really, really pleased tonight.”

Ramsgate went close again with only 136 seconds on the clock, as Carvalho and Aboagye linked up again down the right and a first time low cross was flicked first time by Jadama, which shaved the foot of the near post from 12-yards.

However, Littlehampton Town wasted a glorious chance to take the lead with five minutes and 22 seconds on the clock following their second of three corners.

Holding midfielder Tom Bold floated the ball in from the left and George Gaskin, who played behind 10-goal striker Devon Fender, found a pocket of space inside the box and sent his free header straight into Josh Bexon’s gloves from 12-yards.

“I was a bit disappointed,” revealed Coyle.  “They had two set-pieces earlier in the game and got the first contact on them, which was not great really and it's something that we work on.

“But I think they were only half-chances early in the game and after that I don’t think Josh has made a save in the whole game, so that’s a real positive.”

Littlehampton Town played their part in an open end-to-end first 10 minutes and created another chance from another set-piece.

Bold floated a free-kick into a crowded Ramsgate penalty area and centre-half Marshall Ball flicked his header past the right-upright.

Littlehampton Town, who sealed promotion by winning the Southern Combination League Premier Division last season and reached The FA Vase Final, then controlled the next 10 minutes or so, without creating a clear-cut chance.

Ramsgate then turned the game into a stalemate, as Coyle came on for Fitchett and partnered Jahmal Howlett-Mundle (who hardly makes a mistake and should be playing one or two levels higher than this) at the heart of defence.

“Ben Fitchett has gone to hospital, just precautionary.  I think he’s turned his ankle, which is a big loss for us because I think he’s been outstanding this season,” said Coyle, who lost Jake McIntyre just after the hour mark and Callum Emptage came on to slot in at left-back.

“Jake McIntyre, in between a dead leg and just maybe a little tweak in his quadriceps so we’re going to have to assess that in the next 48 hours. We’ve got a massive game on Tuesday night and see how they are.”

When asked whether he will be a player-manager or within the technical area beside Southall, who has played at every level from the Premier League (Bolton Wanderers) right down to Whitstable Town in the Isthmian League South East Division, Coyle revealed: “I think it’s the fourth or fifth time that I’ve tried to retire and it never seems to work out!

“Ideally I want to be able to manage the team from the sideline. I’m getting to an age now where that’s the next progression. I’ve done it at Welling United and Dartford before and got back into playing.

“I think you take the experiences that you’ve had as a player, you take the experiences that I had as a manager.  I was player-manager at Welling and it was a difficult, difficult job trying to play as well as manage the team and organise and you’ve get people that you trust and understand the game on the sideline that are going to make changes and see the game differently that you do out on the pitch.

“That’s why it’s so important for me to get somebody like Nicky Southall in. he’s been really successful with myself at Maidstone when we won two promotions and I can trust that he sees the game and he makes changes that we need.”

Aboagye cut in from the right and fed Jadama, whose cross-shot from just inside the corner of the penalty area forced Binfield to dive high to his right to hold onto the ball to prevent the ball sailing into the top far corner.

Ramsgate should have taken the lead in the 33^rd minute, however.

Aboagye, Lee Prescott and Carvalho linked up well down the right and Carvalho whipped in a great cross towards the near-post for striker Rowan Liburd to power his header against the crossbar from eight-yards.

“We’ve been working on trying to get some quality inside the six-yard box and get Rowan really to operate inside the line of the posts and he done that today,” said Coyle.

“On another day he could’ve had a couple of goals. The promising thing and the pleasing thing is today we’ve created some really good chances and the quality that was going into the box, whether it was full-back areas or out wide was brilliant and it’s something that we can build on moving forward.”

Coyle said he was impressed with Littlehampton’s passages of play in the first half.

“We were struggling a little bit, they were moving the ball well.  They were playing really narrow in midfield and were playing through the thirds and we just had to tweak our shape a little bit out of possession.

“But I was pleased at half-time.  I thought we were positive outside of the two half-chances they had from set-pieces, we dictated the tempo of the game, which we tried to emphasise this week, trying to control the game and not turn it into a basketball match.

“I said just be a little bit more positive in possession and a bit more patient and I think it showed again.  I thought we were a lot more on top in the second half than we were in the first half.”

Ramsgate put in a vastly improved performance after the interval, creating their first chance after only 125 seconds.

Holding midfielder Prescott was inside the Ramsgate half and his through ball split open Littlehampton Town’s left-back Tarun Rohilla, who was beaten by Carvalho’s pace and the winger cut into the box and his fizzing shot towards the bottom corner was kept out by Binfield’s outstretched right leg at his near post.

“I thought Gil today was a real thorn in their side. He was so positive,” added Coyle.

“You always look at the game at the end and the amount of chances that we’ve created, it’s such a positive. 

“I know you’re not going to finish all of your one-on-one’s but the amount of chances that we’ve created today was only a positive.  On another day it could’ve been three or four goals but it wasn’t to be.”

Ramsgate deservedly took the lead through a sublime finish from their new manager, with 16 minutes and 36 seconds on the clock.

Ashley Miller whipped in free-kick from the right was one of quality and right on the money and was heading towards a crowd of players in the middle.  The ball was cleared out to an unmarked Coyle, who drilled a left-footed half-volley screaming over that crowd and into the top far corner of the net from 10-yards.

“It’s probably one of the best goals that I’ve scored in my career to be honest with you and importantly on my first game that I’ve been appointed manager,” said Coyle.

“I’m pleased for the players. I’m pleased for everyone around the club. It’s been a difficult week for everyone involved.  It’s nice that I can still have an affect on the pitch at my old age.  I don’t think I’ve hit one that sweetly with my left-foot for a while and it went in to the top corner and I’m really pleased.”

Littlehampton Town offered very little in attack during the second half but they should have done better with another headed chance in the 64^th minute.

Bold floated a long ball from the halfway line down the left towards the edge of the six-yard box where Gaskin (who jointly-managers the side with fellow player Mitchell Hand) steered his header over the top of the near-post.

Ramsgate went in search for more goals during a dominant final 20 minutes.

Ball pulled back Liburd some 30-yards from goal and Miller stroked a right-footed free-kick which flew past the diving keeper and clipped the near-post before the ball came out to Carvalho, who cut the ball onto his right-foot and curled his shot just past the top of the far post.

Coyle said: “It was another opportunity. We’ve hit the woodwork three times today so we’ve asked lots and lots of questions of a side that beat us twice.

“I said to a couple of their players at the end, I thought they were one of the most organised teams in possession. They rotated really well and I don’t know why or how they are where they are in the league because I thought they were brilliant at their place and we had to be aware of some of their strengths.

“They beat Cray Valley last week and I spoke to one of my friends that was down there and he gave me some good info but today was about concentrating on us and getting out an identity of a team across and it’s going to take a little bit more time but I felt we done that today.”

Coyle ventured over the half-way line, skipping past Gaskin before poking the ball to Liburd, who travelled with the ball before placing a right-footed drive towards the bottom left-hand corner from distance, only for Binfield to dive low to his right to hold onto the shot.

Liburd and Carvalho linked up well down the right before Liburd unleashed a right-footed stinging drive towards goal on the angle from 15-yards, which Binfield pushed away, two-handed at head height, with 13 minutes remaining.

Striker Kane Rowland came off the bench and nearly scored with his first-touch, a left-footed angled drive which flashed across the keeper and past the far post.

Central midfielder Jack Paxman split open the two centre-halves to play in the impressive Jadama but Binfield rushed off his line to make another vital block.

“The pleasing thing is, we never looked like we were going to concede today. The midfield were really compact and the front three worked really, really hard for us, which we worked on and we spoke about at the start of the game and that’s where it starts.  If the front three work hard and they make it difficult for the opposition it gives you a scaffold to actually work on and build up from.”

Despite all of Ramsgate’s dominance, Littlehampton Town (after a couple of late changes and a formation change to
3-5-2) created a couple of chances inside the final four minutes to grab a point.

Aboagye gifted the ball away from within his own defensive channel to Fender, who drilled a low right-footed angled drive towards goal from 30-yards, which was comfortably gathered by the untroubled Bexon.

Carvalho whipped a right-footed free-kick towards goal from 30-yards at the other end, which was caught at the second attempt by the visiting keeper.

Ramsgate kept knocking on the door, however, and with 31 seconds of normal time remaining, Jadama released Miller, who cut onto his right-foot and his 25-yard drive was held at the near post by Binfield.

Littlehampton Town should have grabbed a point with 46:32 on the clock after Prescott was booked by referee Daniel Doyle for bringing down Donaldson on the counter-attack.

Hand whipped his left-footed free-kick just past the right-hand post from 28-yards out.

“It was another half-chance really.  Luckily enough it weren’t on target but it was another one that it didn’t really trouble us,” added Coyle.

However, Ramsgate sealed the deal by scoring their second goal with 48:14 on the clock on the counter-attack.

Jadama won the ball in midfield – capping off an impressive performance – before Miller got involved and Jadama poked the ball on the outside to Carvalho in space and he produced a composed right-footed finish across the keeper into the bottom far corner.

“I thought he thoroughly deserved his goal today for his (second) debut.  I know he’s been here before but he completely terrorised their full-back at times today and put some really good balls in the box.

“The only disappointing thing is I thought he crashed a couple of really good balls across the six-yard box and we had no one there just to tap it in but if he keeps creating those opportunities then I’m sure we’ll get on the end of them and start build from there.”

Coyle, meanwhile, was delighted with playing a key role in keeping their ninth clean sheet of the season and their first in five outings.

“Look, the most important thing today collectively was that we got the three points and the bonus was the clean-sheet as well.

“They gave me everything and they’re aware that it’s been a difficult week but as I’ve said before, we’ve got one of the most hardworking, honest groups of players that I’ve ever worked with in 22 years that I’ve been playing in non-league football. 

“They are the best group of players that I’ve worked with, whether it’s as a player or now as manager and with little tweaks here and there I really feel that we’ve got a good chance of finishing the back end of the season strongly and see where it takes us.”

Chatham Town threw away a 2-0 lead as Three Bridges became the first side to take a point at Maidstone Road this season.

Beckenham Town suffered a 1-0 defeat in Brighton to Whitehawk, while Cray Valley lost 1-0 at home to Chichester City.

Chatham Town remain at the summit on 49 points, while the play-off places are occupied by Ramsgate (49 points), Beckenham Town (47), Cray Valley (39) and Whitehawk (38).

Ashford United (38), Sheppey United (38) are also in the hunt, while Littlehampton Town remain in eighth-place on 35 points.

All of these sides have 14 games left to play, while Cray Valley and Whitehawk have a couple of games in hand on their promotion rivals.

Coyle takes his side to Eden Park Avenue to lock horns with Beckenham Town on Tuesday night.

“The experience I’ve had, you’re never too high and you’re never too low. It was brilliant today, obviously scoring a great goal and three points but you’re three days away from another massive game that we’ve got to turn up and perform as we did today.

“We’ve got such a strong squad and the togetherness goes a massive, massive way in football and it’s the best changing room that I’ve been in many years.

“It’s going to be a really difficult game. I’ve seen some footage of them and got a couple of reports as well and they’ve got a lot of pace and mobility in their team and we’ve got to be aware of that when we go there on Tuesday.

“We played them in the (Kent Senior Cup First Round, winning on penalties after a 4-4 draw there) earlier in the season and it was a little bit of a basketball game, end-to-end. It could have been six-all, I think, at the end.

“We’ve got to make sure defensively we’re set up right and organised but it’s going to be a real tough game.

“We’ve got 12 weeks left and if we keep improving week-on-week and we show that desire and togetherness that we showed today, then we’ve got a good chance.”

Coyle, who is currently one of 17 players in the Ramsgate squad, has everything to play for in this exciting promotion race.

“It’s going to be an exciting end to the season, it really is. I’m really looking forward to it. 

“The key for me is that we continue to build every week. It’s going to take a little bit of time. I can’t just put a magic wand on one training session and we turn into a completely different team but I think with the sessions that we’ve got between now and the end of the season the boys are all keen, they want to learn.  I’m very keen about getting all of their opinions and us working together and we’ve done that this week.

“I’m pleased to deliver that (victory) to the fans because there’s going to be a few questions around my appointment being as a player than coming in as a manager but hopefully (the fans) have seen today the togetherness and the hunger and the desire that the players’ showed.

“We’re all growing together.  We’re all going in the same direction and that’s what we’re going to need for the rest of the season.”

When asked what the chairman has tasked him for the remainder of the season, Coyle replied: “We want to be competitive and we want to stay where we are.  I would love to say that we’re going to win the league but there is some very, very good teams in this league and it’s keeping the players’ feet on the ground and just keep making sure that we improve every week and if we do that there’s not many squads in this league that can complete with the players that we have.

“It’s important that we continue to improve, continue to tweak things here and there and if we do that – injuries are a massive part of that as well and we’ve lost two players today which I hope are just short-term and if we get a little bit of luck along the way, we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”

Ramsgate: Josh Bexon, Jerald Aboagye, Jake McIntyre (Callum Emptage 62), Lee Prescott, Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, Ben Fitchett (Jamie Coyle 22), Ashley Miller, Tijan Jadama, Rowan Liburd (Kane Rowland 82), Jack Paxman, Gil Carvalho.
Subs: Denzelle Olopade, Theo Osinfolarin

Goals: Jamie Coyle 62, Gil Carvalho 90

Booked: Lee Prescott 90

Littlehampton Town: James Binfield, Liam Hendy (Dave Herbert 83), Tarun Rohilla, Scott Packer (Mitchell Hand 84), Marshall Ball, Corey Heath, Luke Donaldson, Tom Bold, Devon Fender, George Gaskin, Scott Faber (Jordan Layton 77).
Subs: James Askew, Dion Jarvis

Booked: Scott Packer 35, James Binfield 45, Tarun Rohilla 60, Mitchell Hand 90

Attendance: 578
Referee: Mr Daniel Doyle
Assistants: Marcin Indyk & Mr Nicholas Monkman