Visitors Ramsgate extended their unbeaten run in an incident packed Isthmian League Premier Division match at Welling United.

Alfie Paxman had a shot beaten out by Welling goalkeeper Freddie Norman in the early minutes before the hosts’ Greg Cundle fired over after John Ufuah knocked it down into his path.

In the sixteenth minute, the Rams went ahead when Mitchell May got behind the Welling back line and slotted it home.

Ufuah fired across the face of goal after doing well to hold off his man then Norman again came to Welling’s rescue when making a good save from Benedict Bioletti after he had been sent clear by Joe Taylor.

Soon after came a massive talking point. Tom Clifford went over the top with an awful tackle and a bout of pushing and shoving took place. Referee Jake Woodman had a long discussion with his assistant before holding aloft a red card and sending off Welling’s Ruben Shakpoke.

He then let off Clifford by only punishing him with a yellow card before he showed Welling manager Lee Martin two yellow cards and dismissed him from the dugout.

Jack Paxman fired over for Welling before Ramsgate doubled their lead. Bioletti pulled it back to their Paxman and he fired home. 

Shaun Williams, Welling’s Assistant Manager, responded by making a double substitution, one of whom was the Wings’ new signing Femi Akinwande.  

Taylor had a shot blocked by Norman at the near post before Clifford fired wide from a free kick. 

Donvieve Jones rounded off a great first half for Ramsgate with a stooping header from Paxman’s cross in the ninth minute of stoppage time. 

Early in the second period Akinwande turned and shot just over having collected fellow substitute Luke O’Neill’s pass before Eze Ebuzoeme hit a shot cleanly from twenty yards and Aiden Prall made a good catch.

Bioletti arrived late at the far post but missed the target then May had a shot blocked and it came out to Tijan Jadama who shot wide. Taylor looked well offside but was not flagged and he squared to Paxman whose shot was blocked brilliantly by Norman.

Jadama shot wide from twenty yards before Welling’s James Dyer had an effort deflected past the post at the other end.

Just under quarter of an hour remained when Welling pulled one back, albeit at a cost. Paxman played in Cundle and he tucked it home just ahead of Prall who came out to take him out with an awful late challenge. The Ramsgate goalkeeper looked fortunate to escape with a yellow card as the scorer was helped off the field and replaced after lengthy treatment.

Four minutes later, Taylor restored the Rams’ three goal advantage and they saw the remaining time out with little alarm.

Welling United: Norman; Scott (O’Neill 39), Dobbs, Majoyegbe, Adjetey-Brew (Dyer 64); Paxman: Ufuah, Ebuzoeme, Cundle (J. Leahy 79); Hambury (Akinwande 39), Shakpoke.

Sub not used: Antonio.

Goalscorer: Cundle (76)

Yellow card: Dobbs (82 foul)    

Red card: Shakpoke (27 violent conduct)

Ramsgate: Prall; Jones (Binnon-Williams 58), Brown, Barnes (Garrett 73); Munday (Gard 46), Bioletti, Jadama, Paxman, Clifford (Jackson 90+2); May (Todd 87), Taylor.

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: May (15), Paxman (34), Jones (45+9), (Taylor 83)

Yellow card: Clifford (27 foul), Brown (46 foul), Prall (77 foul), Paxman (83 foul)

Referee: Jake Woodman

Assistants: Thomas Sansom and Luke Morley

Attendance: 566

Pictures supplied by Keith Gillard.