Hythe Town were held to a 2-2 draw by nine-man Ramsgate on a breezy Saturday afternoon at Reachfields.
The early exchanges saw the first two chances fall to the Cannons as firstly in the third minute Salvyn Kisitu played the ball into Zak Anash who had two “bites of the cherry” but his final attempt was blocked by Ramsgate keeper, Luke Watkins.
This was followed by a neat one-two between Ansah and Sid Sollis ending with the latter slamming the ball into the side netting. However, it was the Rams who broke the deadlock after only nine minutes as the lively Tom Chapman played the ball into Kane Rowland who finished neatly sending the ball past Hythe keeper Tony Coxall.
Hythe looked for the equaliser as Joey Taylor played the ball into Kieron Campbell whose shot from the edge of the area was pulled wide of the target.
The hosts were level on 18 minutes as Campbell played the ball over to the far post where Rob Saunders put the ball into his own net under pressure from Sid Sollis.
Things got worse for Saunders three minutes later when he was adjudged to have fouled Sollis. The referee reached for his pocket to produce a second yellow card and an early exit from the game for Saunders.
Ramsgate did have a chance on half an hour as a dangerous cross from the right by Jake Mackenzie nearly found Gil Carvalho who was stretching for the ball but he couldn’t quite get a foot onto it to convert into a goal. There was no more goal mouth action until the break.
The second half started with some bad luck for the hosts as Campbell crossed to Tom Carlton who slammed a shot against the inside of the upright.
At the other end Carvalho screwed a shot wide from the edge of the area and then the ball went across the penalty area to Rowland but his final effort went wide.
Sollis did have an opportunity for Hythe but his attempt looped into the arms of Watkins. Hythe were to take the lead on 73 minutes as Tom Carlton picked up the ball and made a determined move forward slamming the ball past Watkins for his first Hythe goal.
Within two minutes Ramsgate were level as a deep free kick from Jake Mackenzie found Charlie Dickens who swept the ball home at the far post. Sollis was then to put in Mitchell Dickenson who was denied by Watkins.
Ramsgate were reduced to nine men with nine minutes left on the clock with Rowland controversially sent off for a challenge on Chris Kinnear.
Hythe pressed for a winner as Watkins denied Kisitu and then Ansah played the ball out to Campbell who returned it to Ansah but his final effort was scooped over the bar.
Finally, Sollis forced Watkins to save one handed before the keeper smothered the ball at the second attempt.
Hythe were unable to take the opportunity given by the two-man advantage and had to settle for the point. They remain in sixth place eleven points outside of the play-offs with only six games to play. They travel to Sittingbourne next Saturday (23rd March 2019).
Hythe Town: Tony Coxall, Salvyn Kisitu, Joey Taylor (Elliot Capel 63 mins), Chris Kinnear, Ollie Rowe, Mitchell Dickenson, Ryan Palmer (Jack Smith 63 mins), Tom Carlton, Zak Ansah, Sid Sollis, Kieron Campbell.
Ramsgate: Watkins, Mackenzie, Gray, Crimmen, Saunders (OG 18’ Sent off 21’), Fagan (Off 74’), TJ Jadama, Neita (Off 25’), Carvalho (Off 77’), Chapman, Rowland (Goal 9’)
Subs: Smith (On 77’), Penny, Dalton (On 74’), Dickens (On 25’)
Scorers: Hythe Town – Rob Saunders 18 mins (OG), Tom Carlton 73 mins. Ramsgate – Kane Rowland 9 mins, Charlie Dickens 75 mins.
Attendance: 216.