Tonbridge Angels 2-2 Ramsgate - This is our turning point, says last-gasp hero Davis

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 2-2 RAMSGATE
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 3^rd January 2009
Mike Green reports from Betterview Longmead Stadium

A GOAL with the very last kick of the game from central defender Nick Davis proved enough to lift Ramsgate out of the bottom four of the Ryman Premier League.

At the same time (with Staines Town’s game at Harrow Borough frozen off), Davis’ first goal of the season also denied Tonbridge Angels second place in the table.

Whilst Rams boss Jim Ward was beaming afterwards, for Angels boss Tommy Warrilow, it was a bitter sweet pill to swallow.

Davis’ late strike came from a free-kick, which the Tonbridge boss hotly disputed.

“How can he give a decision like that so late in the game,” moaned the Tonbridge boss, when speaking to BBC Radio Kent. “I don’t like going on about the officials, but he gave us absolutely nothing all afternoon.

“Fair play to Ramsgate, they played well, but when you’re 2-0 up with ten minutes to go, you’ve got to see out the game.”

The Ramsgate boss, on the other hand, was naturally delighted with his side’s dramatic late comeback.

When asked if his late substitution had turned the game, the wily Scot simply grinned and said: “I’m delighted for Tom (Tsangarides), but I’m more happy that we’ve got a point out of the game, where with ten minutes to go I was preparing to come and talk to you and explain how we lost the game 2-0 in a game where we’ve enough chances that we should won.

“Our last four games have all been derbies and I think we’ve really turned the corner now.”

And to be fair to Ward, a draw in this game at least, was probably just about right in the ever worsening conditions at Longmead.

But only the Angels will know how (despite never really getting out of first gear) they let a two-goal lead, and at least for now second place in the table, slip by.

The early signs were encouraging that this may well be a derby to remember as in the opening ten minutes both sides squandered golden opportunities.

After only four minutes, Tommy Tyne got in behind the Ramsgate defence, only to drag his shot wide of the left post, whilst at the other end, moments later, Steffan Ball, from a fine through ball from Simon Pettit, was denied by a fine Lee Worgan save, low to the goalkeeper’s left.

Ten minutes later, Ball should have opened the scoring against his former club, but horribly miss-kicked when clean through.

The striker then turned provider for Pettit, who unfortunately for the visitors got his looping header all wrong and the ball sailed into the crowd.

With the home side struggling to create anything in front of goal, Rams skipper Warren Schulz was denied by a fantastic Phil Starkey tackle when clear in the penalty area.

Then, on 38 minutes, Tonbridge took the lead with a goal straight off the Longmead training pitch.

A John Westcott corner from the right was met by Leon Legge, whose thumping header flew past Jamie Turner and crashed into the net for the defender’s fifth goal of the season.

With the temperature plummeting, there were some fears voiced during the interval that the game may not have long to go, but full credit to both sets of players for upping the tempo after the break to produce an intriguing spectacle.

On 53 minutes, Davis had a header, from another Ball free-kick, sail high over the bar and then as in the first half Tonbridge scored almost out of the blue.

Jamie Cade did well to hook the ball back into the penalty area and as the ball dropped Carl Rook was on hand to smash home his 19^th goal of the season and extend his remarkable goalscoring run for the Angels which now stands at 36 goals in 46 appearances.

Central midfielder Tyne thought he has sealed the points for the Angels with a low 70^th minute drive, only for Turner to magnificently turn the ball aside.

From the resulting corner Legge seemingly had an easier chance than the one he scored from, but this time couldn’t hit the target.

As Ramsgate pushed on desperate to get back into the game, Jay May broke through and was unlucky with a low shot that beat Worgan but flashed across the face of goal.

At the other end, Turner again excelled with a remarkable save to deny Angels skipper Anthony Storey. Storey struck a free-kick from the edge of the box low to the keeper’s right and most of the crowd, awaiting for the net to bulge, yet somehow the former Tonbridge goalkeeper went full length to his right to palm the ball aside.

Then on 79 minutes, Ward made the substitution that in the end proved so decisive.

Tsangarides was brought on for Andy Hadden and within seconds the vocal visiting support finally had something to cheer as the substitute drilled the ball low into Worgan’s bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the area.

Ramsgate had now changed formation and were playing four out-and-out strikers in a desperate attempt to salvage a point.

This, of course, left gaps at the other end and Tonbridge almost had an unlikely hero in Starkey. The right full-back, who had switched to the opposite flank, following Lewis Hamilton’s substitution on 75 minutes, twice escaped into Ramsgate’s penalty area in dangerous positions.

On the first occasion, his driven cross received a fortunate deflection, which took it into the arms of Turner, whilst on 87 minutes the full-back was only denied by on-loan Gillingham youngster Tom Wynter, who cleared the ball off the line after substitute Fraser Logan’s shot was blocked.

In stoppage time, Starkey again sprinted clear and his centre caused chaos in the Rams penalty area and as the ball dropped to Ade Olorunda, Turner again excelled with a fine block.

With the clock ticking relentlessly onwards to the end of the six minutes of stoppage time indicated, the Rams won a free-kick, with Tim Olorunda being adjudged to have fouled Ball wide on the right - a decision that incensed the Tonbridge bench.

From the free-kick, which saw keeper Turner advance into the Tonbridge penalty area, the Angels were unable to clear the ball and as it was played back in by Wynter, Worgan produced a fine save with his feet only for the ball to ricochet to Davis who gleefully slammed home his first goal of the season.

Afterwards, the defender admitted that his strike could be the springboard that his side needs.

“We’re out of the bottom four now and we’ve got some games coming up against sides around us and really we’ve just got to look at what Tonbridge did last season when they went on a run after Christmas and flew up the table.

“It’s the toughest this league has been in the three years that I’ve played in it, but I really do think that today could be our turning point.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Phil Starkey, Lewis Hamilton (Tim Olorunda 75), Tommy Tyne, Leon Legge, Scott Gooding, John Westcott (Fraser Logan 79), Anthony Storey, Michael Phillips (Ade Olorunda 87), Carl Rook, Jamie Cade.
Subs: Paul Butler, Bobby Dixey.

Goals: Leon Legge 38, Carl Rook 61

Booked: Anthony Storey 90

Ramsgate: Jamie Turner, Danny Walder, Tom Wynter, Nick Davis, Ben Laslett, Ryan Royston, Andy Hadden (Tom Tsangarides 79), Warren Schulz (Seb Schoburgh 59), Jay May, Steffan Ball, Simon Pettit (Ben Brown 59).
Subs: Dean Powell, Dan Tanner.

Goals: Tom Tsangarides 80, Nick Davis 90

Booked: Simon Pettit 37, Ryan Royston 76

Attendance: 489
Referee: Mr Gary Croft (Battle, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Colin Mallows (Burgess Hill, West Sussex) & Mr Ryan Ellis (Burgess Hill, West Sussex)