An outrageous shot from the halfway line has kept Sittingbourne’s flickering Play Off hopes alive whilst putting a dent in Ramsgate on a glorious afternoon under the Southwood sun.
With the two sides locked at 0-0 – as they had been in the reverse fixture in December – and with just eight minutes left, Danny Taylor saw Ramsgate keeper Jacob Russell well off his goal line, and “Beckham-esque” hammered a drive over the home custodian from just inside his own half of the pitch. The ball flew into the Ramsgate net to clinch a fantastic three points for Darren Blackburn’s side – what a way to score your first goal for a club!
As the first meeting of these two had been a dour struggle which had ended goal-less, it appeared that this game would go exactly the same way as both defences were in outstanding form as they had been at Woodstock before Christmas.
Chances were few and far between. Ramsgate’s Ashley Miller headed straight at Harry Brooks, whilst at the other end, Russell was sent scrambling across his goal as Alex Flisher’s free kick flashed narrowly wide. Brooks then did really well to deny Miller with his legs as the home side tried to get on top, only for them to be thankful to player coach Jamie Coyle for an outstanding block to deny the industrious Johan Caney-Bryan as the Brickies top scorer seemed to have wriggled clear.
As half time approached, the home side tried to press home an advantage as Miller fired high over from a corner and Brooks was quickly off his line to bravely deny Josh Ajayi.
If anything, the second half was even tighter than the first but after a brilliant bit of skill and interchange on the edge of the home box, Alex Flisher was unfortunate to strike a shot off balance and the ball flashed wide. The home side responded but Miller again headed straight at Brooks from an Eddie Carrington centre and as time wore in it seemed inevitable that another goal-less stalemate would be the order of the day.
But then up stepped Danny Taylor and as the ball finished at his feet in his own half of the centre circle, he looked up, saw Russell well off his line, and duly hammered the ball high over the back-pedalling keeper and into the home net akin to the way the former England captain “announced” himself at Selhurst Park all those years ago!
The win keeps Sittingbourne seventh – level on points with Burgess Hill – but still eight points behind the side in fifth, the last Play Off place, Ramsgate.
RAMSGATE – Russell, Aboagye (Emptage), Olopade, Chapman, Miller, Hoare (Jadama), Ajayi, Smith (Carrington), Coyle, Fitchett, McIntyre
Subs – Miller-Neave, Prescott
SITTINGBOURNE – Brooks, Okoye, Fisher, Allan, Stannard (Anderson), Danny Taylor, Rowland, Caney-Bryan, Witt (Bancroft), Alex Flisher (Sam Flisher), Dasho
Subs – Charlie Taylor, Treadwell
REFEREE – Mr Woodward