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Manager Bill Smith kept
faith with the team that had dispatched Wealdstone so
comprehensively in midweek but warned that they would face the
same robust, direct style from Ramsgate who had managed a
recent home draw against high flying Staines.
Tooting again started with a 4-5-1 formation but soon
adopted virtually 4-3-3 with the speedy Antonio being released
quickly down the right and Pitterson getting well forward on
the other flank.
In just the 5th
minute Antonio received the ball, turned and beat 3 defenders
in a mazy dribble of gangly limbs that took him into the Rams
box and heading for goal. Only a desperate last ditch
challenge by both full back & keeper stopped him. A more
seasoned campaigner might have gone down for the likely
penalty. Just a minute later the
Terrors did open the scoring when Pitterson took a shot from
distance that keeper Dego only parried away (not to be the
last time) just behind the poaching Paul
Vines who contorted to shoot on the turn into the corner.
The Rams responded with a
couple of corners that were well dealt with by Goode &
Vines followed by a 14th minute corner for Tooting
that saw a Joe Vines diving header saved. Myall was let
off with just a lecture from the excellent Mr Rendell for a
clumsy foul to prevent the Rams breaking forward but then won
a 17th min challenge and picked out Pitterson who
put Paul Vines clear but his shot went just wide.
The lovely surface provided
by the Rams was now proving their undoing as it allowed the
Terrors to play a ‘keep ball' passing game, one session of
which involved Hamlin 3 times down the right. King was forced
into a save from a Ramsgate free kick in the 19th
min but was fouled in the process. T&M then broke again
down the right with the tricky Antonio being fouled. However
McLeod was prevented from taking the free kick quickly because
Antonio was now lying prostrate on the floor just yards from
the incident. Sun
bathing? An act of God? A vicious attack by a giant mole? Or
might full back Tanner be the cause. He seemed to be holding
his hand and wincing with pain while trying to avoid the gaze
of referee Rendall. Hmm.
The linesman from the far
side seemed to be advancing to ensure justice was done but
then meekly
retreated. So Tanner got away with just a
booking.
A perfect Hartburn long
ball down the middle put Paul Vines away again and he
cushioned it beautifully with his head and went past the last
defender but again shot just wide. The Rams had a shot touched
over from a quality cross by Petit but the next period was all
Tooting with a succession of free kicks, corners and half
chances from the Myall long throw, a new and welcome weapon,
and King long punts.
Ramsgate were starting to
wilt under this pressure and the other full back Eastwood was
booked in the 31st min when using an arm to prevent
a ball from Myall reaching Pitterson who was wide and
clear. Myall went close to scoring with a chip over the
keeper after Antonio had deceived Tanner by cleverly flicking
the ball round him. And the 35th min saw the reward
for all this possession. In a replay of his previous move Antonio
again twisted inside from the right, beating two players in
the process. However this time he darted across the box before
tucking the ball past the advancing Dego.
Goode then put a header wide from a Howell corner before he
& Joe Vines had to be strong at the other end in dealing
with several long throws launched into the box by Petit.
Hartburn then added to his yellow card collection with a
tackle that certainly took the ball but also most of the ankle
of Mitchell! Just before half time King was required to
produce his only real save of the match when a Sutton long
throw was nodded back and Myall & Hartburn combined to win
possession before a cross to Paul Vines was nodded down for a
chance McLeod blazed over.
Half Time 0 - 2
As the crowd and your
reporter returned refreshed from the bar a Ramsgate player was
going in the other direction with the tactical advice from his
manager to “just keep walking”. All was clearly not well
in the home dressing room. Seconds later came the announcement
that the Rams were making all 3 subs!!
McLeod was replaced by Pinnock within a minute of the
restart after twisting awkwardly in a tackle. Then Ramsgate
had Kinch booked for a lunge on Hartburn and Takaleo was also
booked for a late & high challenge on Hamlin.
Henry Haden replaced a
tiring Antonio in the 67th min and just two minutes
later the Vines brothers produced a move surely rehearsed in
their childhood years. A corner played short to Paul Vines was
struck along the line of the penalty box to his brother Joe
Vines who ran in to head it into the bottom corner.
Henry Haden shot over
having forced the defender into a mistake from a Paul Vines
nod on and Hartburn also tried a shot from distance. Then Ramsgate got a 79th
minute consolation goal when another long throw was not
dealt with in the air or on the ground and Eastwood
prodded the ball home.
The already booked and
hapless Tanner then chopped Hamlin down in full flight but Mr
Rendell was again merciful. Just 3 minutes from time Pinnock
completed the rout when he nipped in sharply to apply the
merest touch to a rolled in free kick just as keeper Dego
thought he was going to collect.
Just time left for a
Pitterson run, jinx inside and shot that bounced off Dego but
Paul Vines could not finish. And Petit was booked for
clattering a show boating Pitterson.
In conclusion: Our back
four had to be strong in the air but were never seriously
troubled. The Rams only forced King to make one real save in
90 minutes and the Terrors could easily have been 4 goals up
by half time.
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