We have to keep going and keep among the play-off mix, says Ramsgate boss Tim Dixon

RAMSGATE boss Tim Dixon says he wants his side to continue the momentum to claim a play-off place at the end of the season.



The Rams are in seventh-place in the Ryman League Division One South table, with 43 points from 27 games, a couple of points adrift of fifth-placed Sittingbourne, with a game in hand.

They welcome ninth-placed Hythe Town to Southwood Stadium on Saturday, with Scott Porter’s side only three points behind them with a game in hand.

Any side down to tenth-placed Burgess Hill (who have 40 points from 26 games) can go on and claim a top-five place come the end of the season.

Ramsgate claimed a vital victory with a 1-0 win at Eastbourne Town last weekend, a perfect tonic for under the weather Dixon.

”It was superb actually. It was a really good three points that we deserved,” said Dixon, who started his playing career at Southampton aged fourteen before being released by Lawrie McMenemy five years’ later.

”It’s always a tough place to go. Even more pleasing was another clean sheet, but it was a really good performance.

”I spoke to their management and they said we fully deserved it and we were one of the better sides that they’ve played!

”We had a player pull out before the game and my assistant (Darren Beale) was ill as well.  I was rough as anything and getting over a bit of it as well.

”It was a pleasing day. It’s a tough place to go to. We stood up to the test and fully deserved the three points.”

Dixon insists he wants to keep on-loan Gillingham keeper Daren Hawkes at the club for as long as possible.

”I’m hoping to get him for the last month off his loan,” revealed Dixon.

”Unfortunately we can’t get him until the end of the season, which is a shame. 

”I’ve just lost out on a goalkeeper that I put a seven-day approach in but that hasn’t materialised and he’s staying where he is, but we’ll have Darren for a few more weeks and evaluate from when he goes back.”

Dixon is relishing a blood and thunder Kent derby against Hythe Town on Saturday.

”Another hot blooded local derby,” said Dixon. “They were going through a bad spell but have turned it around with three points in midweek largely due to Ashley Miller, who was with us for a few months on loan.

”Ashley Miller looks like he’ll be a big attribute to Hythe with the way they play. We’ll be hoping to keep him quiet. We know a lot of their players, they know a lot about ours.

”I’ve got a lot of respect for Scott Porter with what he’s been doing there. He wants to have a push for the play-off’s like we do – there will be no holding back.

”Both sides will be looking to get a valuable three points instead of looking for a draw. It’s a tough game but only to be expected at this stage of the season against one of your local rivals.”

The Rams have fifteen games remaining to battle it out for a play-off spot with at least nine other clubs.

”This is the time of the season where you hope to keep everyone together, avoid injuries and keep strong for the final push for the play-offs or the title or whatever you’re going for,” said Dixon.

”There’s still a lot of teams that are involved in that going that and plenty of points to play for.

”I’ve spoken to a few managers quite a while ago. There will be about ten or eleven teams fighting for those play-off places.

”There was a little break away group and there’s still teams below us pushing for the play-offs.

”We’re nicely placed. We’ve got to keep the momentum going at this stage and keep picking up points and stay in and around that area.   You can quite easily drop away. 

”A couple of 1-0 wins are pleasing for the clean sheets but we could still do with scoring a few more goals.

”Hythe have found themselves down in ninth and they’ve been up at the top of the table for most of the season. It was just a bad string of results that they’ve had and they face a bit of a catch up now and that can happen to anyone.

”It’s a massive word and it’s a word we keep using – consistency.

”We have to keep going and keep among the mix. If you do have a few injuries and a couple of bad defeats then who knows. If you’re not strong enough you will fall away.”

When asked how many points are needed to grab a play-off place, Dixon said: “There’s been a lot of stats about that recently and people are saying around the 70 point mark in recent seasons but we’ll be looking at the table game by game.

”You don’t look at the total number of points because it’s been a strange season.  Some of the bottom teams have beaten the top teams. It’s been all over the place. Anyone can beat anyone so I think you have to keep an eye on the points and we’re just looking at our position in the table and games to go and make sure we’re there week in week out.”

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

Ramsgate  v  Hythe Town
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 16^th September 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Southwood Stadium, Prices Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 0AN