This squad of players will not get us relegated, insists Ward

GOALKEEPER Jamie Turner wants to pick up as many points for Ramsgate during his one-month loan spell at Southwood Stadium, writes Stephen McCartney.

Turner made his Rams debut in the Thanet derby on Saturday and kept a clean sheet, as wonder goals from Steffan Ball and Jay May sealed a satisfying 2-0 home win over Margate.

Ramsgate’s second home league win of the season puts them level with the Blues on 22 points and they can climb out of the Ryman Premier League relegation zone with a win over in-form Dartford at Southwood Stadium on Tuesday night.

Turner, whose former clubs include Gravesend & Northfleet and Tonbridge Angels, is relishing his spell back in the Ryman League, having lost his first team shirt at Blue Square South side Welling United to Clark Masters.

“I’ve got the opportunity to come down here on a month’s loan and I grabbed it really,” Turner told BBC Radio Kent.

“I just want to play first team football and to be thrown into a derby, you don’t realise how big it is until you see the fans and the (number of) people turn up.”

Turner is relishing his second successive Kent derby, against his local side Dartford.

“I wish it was at Dartford because that’s only five minutes away from me,” he joked.

“But it’ll be another good game, it’s another test and to get something (out of) that game, to be fair, another three points.

“I’m only here for a month and I want to get as many points as I can and see what happens.”

But Turner admits he will have to adapt, having played Blue Square South football for the past four seasons at Park View Road.

“I’ve been playing on the Welling pitch for the last four years and I’ve been spoilt,” he said.

“You have to adapt, that’s what makes football so great. Whatever level you play, you have to adapt to it.”

For Ramsgate boss Jim Ward, he is delighted to have brought Turner to the club, saying “He’s the best goalkeeper in Kent!”

He added: “When I had the opportunity to get him, I spoke to (Wings boss) Andy Ford and fair play to him. He’s got himself, what he thinks is a better goalkeeper in Clark Masters from Southend. We’ll take Jamie Turner, he’s good enough for a club like this.”

Ward, also speaking to BBC Radio Kent, says Turner is the missing piece in his jigsaw that will ensure Ryman Premier League football returns to Southwood Stadium next August.

“I honestly feel we’ve got a better side this year than the one I had last year,” said Ward.

“We’ve been playing alright. I know we’re still in the bottom three, it’s all been a bit difficult for us, but I’d be very surprised if this group of players gets the club relegated next year.”

Tuesday’s game has the makings of a cracker - and Ward agrees.

“They’re doing well, they’ve won again, I believe that’s two in a row so they’re midtable, pushing for the play-off’s.

“They are a big Conference side, a good side, I’ve seen them twice this year, but we’re ok as well, but if I get that baking again from the supporters that I’ve had today, I think we’ll be in for a cracker Tuesday night.”

Dartford have won four of their last five league games, but their last two results, against play-off chasing Carshalton Athletic and Canvey Island ensure Tony Burman’s side are good enough to climb up the table and finish in the end-of-season play-off lottery.

The Princes Park outfit are now in eleventh place in the table on 30 points - just six points adrift of fifth placed fierce rivals Maidstone United.

But Burman, also speaking to BBC Radio Kent, knows a lot can happen in their last twenty games.

“Some of our performances have warranted a better points total from what we’ve got,” admitted Burman.

“We’re not a bad side and if we keep progressing the way we are, we’ve got twenty games to go and there’s a long way to go.

“We’re trying to win the games and put a good run together and meet some targets we have set.”

Burman expects a tough battle against a Ramsgate side that have only eight fewer points than his side, but only have Hendon and Heybridge Swifts below them in the table.

“It’s another tough game, it’s the fourth away game on the trot for us,” said Burman.

“We’ve played three sides who are in the top five. We’ve done well to come out with six points in these three games and we go to Ramsgate who are at the wrong end of the table but I am sure they feel they should have more points than their position says so to speak.

“It’s going to be tough, we’re not expecting anything else. We’ll go there to try to win the game like we did the last three games.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be bringing regular coverage of this game - courtesy of Mike Green and Paul Parkinson.

Visit Ramsgate’s website:  www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk

Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk

Visit BBC Radio Kent’s website: www.bbc.co.uk/kent

Ramsgate v Dartford
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 30^th December 2008
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Southwood Stadium, Prices Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 0AN.