Ward: You have to earn your Premier points - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Ramsgate are delighted to be one of five sides leading the way in the Ryman Premier League table on 28 points, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Rams handed former Gravesend & Northfleet goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson his debut during their 4-1 win at Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday.

Boss Jim Ward phoned around his many contacts before landing the goalkeeper from Nationwide Conference South outfit Lewes.

Ward needed to sign another goalkeeper as last season’s stoppers, Danny Twyman and Jurgen Wild are both plying their trade in the Kent League with Deal Town and Faversham Town respectively.

Ward explained EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk why he has signed Wilkerson - a Conference calibre goalkeeper.

“Well, with Danny and Jurgen leaving the club, I’ve only got one other goalkeeper at the club, which is Gavin Smyth,” he said.

“I needed another goalkeeper so I rang through a few of my contacts and spoke to Steve King at Lewes and he informed me that the goalkeeper was available.

“He got beat by a 25-yarder that scraped the paint off the underside of the bar, but besides that he was competent, done everything right, kicked it well, nice and loud - what I expect from a Conference goalkeeper.”

Hendon, a side the Rams have already beaten twice on the road, visit Southwood Stadium on Tuesday night.

“We’ve played them twice away and it’s very difficult beating the same side three times in a season,” warned Ward. “But we’re at home, our home form is good so we’ll be definitely firing on all cylinders tomorrow night.

“We are what we are,” said Ward. “We’ve been successful using a certain system and the big centre half, Will Graham has got ankle trouble and will be out for six weeks.

“A couple of games we’ve lost I pushed Dean Hill into centre half. Dean done a good job but he’s best position is attacking left-back.

“So that’s why we decided Dean to go back to left-back. Me and Danny (Ward) felt Dean had to play left-back so it meant there was no room for another centre half so we went back to a flat back four.

“In that four we gave a debut to eighteen-year-old reserve Ashley Burton.

“People made him man-of-the-match and he will keep his shirt Tuesday night.”

Ward cannot believe that the top seven sides in the table are separated by just two points.

“I’ve never known anything like it,” he said. “Last month we got manager of the month for October which put us into second. We lost one game and went back to fifth.

“It’s just the way the league is. Every three points you get is absolutely massive.

“There is no such things as an easy three points in this league. You have to earn every point you get.

“If we finish above Margate we will be in the play-off’s,” he added. “I think Margate are one of the strongest sides in then division.”

Stuart Vahid and Shane Suter are both added to the squad but Will Graham (ankle ligaments) has been ruled-out.

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

Ramsgate v Hendon
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 21^st November 2006
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Southwood Stadium, Prices Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 0AN