The FA Cup brings up its own romance which Hastings experienced last year, says Tim Dixon

The Rams went down to a 3-1 defeat away to Hastings United in the Ryman League Division One South on Bank Holiday Monday, but they return to The Pilot Field to contest a FA Cup Preliminary Round tie on Saturday.

It’s back down to earth for Hastings United, who reached the Third Round of the competition last season, when they went down to a 4-1 defeat away to Middlesbrough, with now Bromley striker Bradley Goldberg grabbing the headlines with a long-range strike.

But Hastings failed to replicate their FA Cup form in the Ryman Premier League and were relegated at the end of the season. Manager Sean Ray resigned on the eve of the new season and Terry White and Mark Stapley took temporary charge before John Maggs decided to quit his general manager’s job at Conference South Tonbridge Angels to become Hastings' new manager.

Dixon admitted his side failed to last the distance during the league game between the two sides.

“It was a very, very tough game on Bank Holiday Monday, but for 70 minutes we were the better team,” he said. 

“We were on top, ahead and really to be truthful we should have been two or three ahead and we missed a couple of good chances and we didn’t get away from them, which bit us on the bottom.

“They scored a goal through a defensive error really, scored another quick one and they were in the ascendancy then.

“We tried to get back into the game, unfortunately it just petered out because we put the maximum into the game for the first 70, but as you know it’s all about 95 minutes now generally with a few minutes added on.

“You’ve got to play for that long. You just can’t switch off. Unfortunately we did.”

Looking forward to Saturday’s FA Cup clash, Dixon wants his side to bounce back and ensure Hastings’ run in the competition last season is a lasting memory.

“Lessons learnt! Another difficult game,” added Dixon.

“The FA Cup brings up its own romance which they experienced last year and they are buzzing for that and trying to emulate what they did last year.

“They’ve gone a lot further than a lot of non-league clubs go so it will be doubly difficult on that factor alone.

“There’s prize money at stake, which teams at our level of the game desperately need. Some clubs budget for it and it’s vital to keep us going but I’m expecting a really, really tough game.

“John Maggs has just taken over down there now and he was watching Monday. Terry White and Mark Stapley done very well down there and they’re unbeaten this year so it will be a tough nut to crack, something that the boys are up for.

“It’s going to be even harder because Ollie Schulz is suspended and Ian Pulman is having a small operation on his nose, which has been booked in for some time.

“It gives other players a chance to stake a place in the team, which will be exciting for them and exciting for me.  It will tell me about the character of people coming into the team, whether they’re ready to step up and take somebody’s place.”

The FA Cup qualifying rounds is exciting as players, managers and supporters dream it will be their side that take to the field in the competition proper and try to produce a famous giant-killing act or grab their five minutes of fame in the national press.

“It’s the best competition in the world, it’s as simple as that,” said Dixon.

“You speak to all the foreigners that come into it in the latter stages of the competition, luckily for them.  They don’t know the true passion and what it means to people in this country.

“You go back to the days of Chris Kelly at Leatherhead against Leicester; Johnny Radford at Hereford. You can just name game after game what’s gone on in FA Cup history and all the minnows, we get a crack at it. That’s where we’re lucky.

“We want to be in The Sun being interviewed on the back page. I want Ben Laslett to be interviewed on the back page.  I’ve had a taste of it as well. It does happen. Why can’t it be somebody from our league, preferably Ramsgate?”

Despite playing for one of the giants of Kent non-league football during his playing career, Dixon looks back on a disappointing time playing in The FA Cup.

“Personally, I didn’t do anything in The FA Cup as a player,” he said.

“I played in a very, very successful Dover Athletic team and we never got anywhere.  We got knocked out by silly teams at the time. We never got into the First Round as a player.

“I’d love all that to end and put it to bed and have a little bit of success. Likewise, in The FA Trophy, that gives us a chance to go a little bit further as well.”

Ramsgate go into Saturday’s game sitting in eleventh-place in the table with a 50% record from their six league outings.  Hastings United, meanwhile, are in second-place and are unbeaten with five wins and a draw.

“I spoke to (Folkestone Invicta manager) Neil Cugley, we had a couple of drinks at the weekend the day after the game against Folkestone and we played better than that on Monday and came away with nothing.

“He’s played quite well in all the games and come away with nothing so it’s frustrating for him.

“It’s not just me. A lot of mangers, look at Nicky Southall as well (at Whitstable Town), they feel they’re playing really good stuff – Sam Denly at Herne Bay.

“We’re all missing a few points. We all can’t be playing well. We’re just unlucky.