Rams end unbeaten run on poignant day
League leaders Ramsgate snapped Chichester City’s remarkable 13-game unbeaten run in the regular season’s last home game – watched by a bumper crowd of 556.
A minute’s applause before kick-off from the biggest home crowd of the season at Oaklands Park for assistant manager Graeme Gee, who sadly passed away last Thursday morning, was observed with the Chi players and management all wearing T-shirts with “PFG CCFC” printed on the back.
The Rams presented a wreath, as the Chi fans sang “There’s only one Graeme Gee.”
When the action got under way, a clearance from Ryan Davidson playing at centre back instead of the absent Curtis Da Costa was sent in from the left by the visitors and out for a goal kick sixty seconds in.
Next, Davidson’s defensive partner Connor Cody received some treatment for a knock and then Joe Moore and Davidson had defending to do before keeper Kieran Magee swiped the ball away.
Rob Hutchings did brilliantly up against Joe Turner and made a superb tackle as Benny Bioletti danced down the right wing, and won his side a goal kick as the Kent opponents pressed.
Magee conceded a throw as Turner tried his luck and teammate Alfie Paxman hit a poor shot from distance.
Emmett Dunn, back in the Chi starting XI, hooked up with Mo Jammeh but the final pass had too much on it. Then Matty Attenboroughwarren and Bioletti were involved in a move that led to another goal kick for the hosts.
Dunn lost his footing in the box and Jordan Green might have got in just before Dunn was forced to withdraw with Ethan Prichard coming on.
Ramsgate had appeals for a penalty turned down but were awarded a corner in the 21st minute and then won a free-kick which came to nothing.
Davidson cleared moments later as Alfie Paxman pressed and Isaac Bello broke only to be fouled for a setpiece which Ramsgate dealt with easily enough.
A Connor Cody mistake set Jordan Green up for a chance which he fizzed just wide and then Jammeh conceded a needless free-kick on the same opponent.
The visitors had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside moments before they broke the deadlock on the half hour mark through a scrappy goal as Chi failed to clear their lines. Moments later the visitors pressed once more and Tijan Jadama’s excellent cross was met by an offside Taylor at close range.
Green and Paxman then threatened and Turner went over – no simulation given however. Jammeh went on a rare raid down the wing for Chi but a defender got a good tackle in.
Josh Clack bagged an equaliser with the goal of the game after a neat touch, turn and shot on 35.
Ramsgate won a soft penalty, the first of three in total, about 60 seconds later. Referee Kai Morgan booked Joe Moore for his trouble and Taylor made no mistake from the spot and restored his team’s lead with his 50th of the season. Hutchings found Jimmy Wild with a nice ball as the hosts sought to respond.
Chi won a throw and then a corner which Moore took before the ref overlooked a foul for a Chi pen. The Rams re-set and forced a corner which was taken short again to Paxman, although Magee pulled off a fine save.
The Chi custodian made another stop on 42 to deny Turner moments before Joe Clarke pulled down Green to give away another spot-kick which once more Taylor dispatched with ease for 3-1.
Green went on a run and earned a corner which came to nothing; Wild and Clack linked up for a couple of crosses; Cody went on one of those mazy runs; and Green had another go following Magee’s
poor clearance; before Turner’s shot caused little danger.
Lloyd Rowlatt came on for Chi in place of Clarke at the interval. Jammeh fired one narrowly wide in the first attack of the second half before Bello headed neatly back to Magee as Ramsgate pressed.
Craig Stone headed Hutchings’ ball in out for a Chichester corner on 48 which the left back took although a foul on Wild was given to the visitors.
Taylor caused further trouble in the 51st and 52nd minutes but the hosts cleared the second corner before Wild’s long ranger was handled by Stone and the ref awarded Chi a penalty and booked the Rams player.
Clack tucked in his second spot-kick in a week to make it 3-2.
Bioletti broke down the right only for Magee to gather his cross. The Chi keeper did the same a couple of minutes later. Hutching and Wild combined but the latter’s effort was blocked before Taylor made it 4-2 after hooking up with Turner ahead of the hour.
It might have been 5-2 moments later as Moore got dispossessed in a dangerous position but Taylor pulled his shot wide.
The same Rams player then caused problems again only for Davidson to cut the ball out before Chi broke and an inviting ball in from Hutchings wasn’t far away from Clack at the far post.
The hosts had a cross to deal with at the other end, then cleared off the line as Green and Bioletti posed trouble. Ben Pashley replaced Cody on 65; Davidson had a go with a header; and Chi cleared a corner easily enough. Then Wild almost got in in the 71st minute after good work from Rowlatt and Hutchings hit a shot off target not long after.
Bello had an effort steered out by keeper Tom Hadler for a corner and Taylor was a bit too ambitious trying to lob Magee with six minutes left.