We normally do very well at home in the Kent derbies, says Ramsgate boss Tim Dixon

RAMSGATE boss Tim Dixon says he is looking forward to locking horns with Neil Cugley when he brings his promotion chasing Folkestone Invicta side to Southwood Stadium on Tuesday night.



The Rams boss felt “over the moon” following his side’s emphatic 4-0 home win over Waltham Forest in the FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round yesterday.

Warren Schulz, who is in his testimonial year at the club, got them on their way  by scoring a penalty and a strike from Tom Champion was sandwiched by two decent strikes from Curtis Robinson.

The Ramsgate boss insisted that his side had to get the job done at the first attempt to scoop the much-needed £2,550 in prize money and to avoid a midweek replay at Ilford’s Cricklefield Stadium so that the Rams can face Folkestone Invicta in a Ryman League Division One South game.

Ramsgate go into the big east Kent derby sitting in eleventh-place in the table, with two wins, two draws and two defeats this season.

Unbeaten in the League, Folkestone Invicta defeated Walton Casuals 3-0 yesterday and lie in second-place, level on points with leaders Crawley Down Gatwick, with four wins and two draws.

Dixon, 46, is clearly looking forward to facing friend Cugley on Tuesday night.

He said: “It’s an absolutely fantastic game and they’re the games we like to be honest with you, the Kent derbies.

“We normally do very well at home in the Kent derbies and Folkestone are a strong side this year and I spoke to Cugs last week with them coming up and we’re both very excited about it.

“He was a former manager of mine and I’ve got a lot of respect for him.

“His team are a typical Neil Cugley team – they may not be playing particularly well but they are unbeaten in six League games.”

Dixon wants his Ramsgate side to play with the same consistency as their rivals along the Kent coast.

He said: “I think you’ve hit the nail on the head – consistency.”

“You look at Folkestone. They have a dodgy result every now and then and they turn it around straight away. Goalscorers have got to be consistently scoring goals and your defence consistently keeping clean sheets.

“Consistency is a massive word in football and it’s spot on really.

“Neil has done very well in the last couple of years – he struggled in the Ryman Premier League but he’s kept the bulk of the team together. They’ve played with each other for a long time and they’ve added quality to the squad with Marzo and Kingy (Darren Marsden and Stuart King).”

Dixon, who is in his first managerial job at this level, revealed he speaks to Cugley and Margate’s boss for advice on a regular basis.

He said: “You learn from people like Neil Cugley and how they do things and I’m no different.

“I’m starting out in management and you look to people like that and I’m not shy to ask a bit of advice every now and then from the likes of Neil Cugley and Chris Kinnear.”

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

Ramsgate  v  Folkestone Invicta
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 2^nd October 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Southwood Stadium, Prices Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 0AN