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WHYTELEAFE 2 - 3 RAMSGATE
Saturday 21st January 2012
Ryman League Division 1 South

Whyteleafe continued their miserable run but at least it was an entertaining match with plenty of chances at both ends. But Leafe are going to have to start winning soon or they will become detached at the bottom of the table. Following the resignation of Croydon Athletic, their results will shortly be removed and leave them several points adrift.

Ramsgate really should have taken the lead in the first minute. A cross from Steve O'Brien on the left found Joe Taylor unmarked at the far post but he headed over from close range. After nine minutes Paul Smith was called on to make a fine save, tipping over the bar a shot from Michael Yianni after Simon Pettit had laid the ball off to him on the edge of the box.

Leafe's first good chance came in the 13th minute. Good play on the left from Jerson Dos Santos and Scott Simpson saw Simpson find Karl Douglin just outside the box. His shot produced a fine save from Danny Twyman who tipped the ball round the post. Douglin had another effort in the 18th minute, receiving a throw then turning past two defenders, but shot wide from 30 yards.

Ramsgate forced three corners in succession in the 24th minute. Taylor had two successive corners from O'Brien deflected for further corners. The third saw the ball bobble around in the Leafe box and Ramsgate did get it into the net but from an offside position. O'Brien then shot over in the 28th minute after Tom Hickman sent him clear.

Leafe had a great chance to take the lead in the 31st minute when Dos Santos sent Simpson clear but his shot from just inside the box was dragged wide of the target.

Ramsgate had a good shout for a penalty when a free kick in the box hit the hand of Fred Fleming but the referee waved play on. Elliott Mitchell found Douglin in the box with a 38th minute cross but his shot was blocked. The Rams took the lead in the 39th minute when a well worked quickly taken free kick found Ian Pulman in the box and he shot past Smith into the net.

Leafe quickly replied in the 42nd minute. A corner from Craig Pitterson found Fleming at the far post where he headed into the net to send the sides in for half time level.

The visitors did not take long to regain the lead. A 48th minute Pulman shot was tipped round the post by Smith, however the resultant corner from O'Brien was headed home by Luke Wheatley.

Pulman could have increased the lead in the 53rd minute when a mistake let him in but Dan Aldous made a great clearance off the line.

Simpson was brought down in the 56th minute on the edge of the penalty box. Dos Santos took the free kick but it was deflected and cleared. Leafe then had a penalty claim of their own when Simpson was brought down in the box but again the referee waved play on. Simpson went close in the 70th minute, then a minute later was brought down 25 yards out. Dos Santos took the free kick and it was spilled by Twyman. Fleming's shot from the loose ball was blocked but Mitchell then turned it into the net from close range for the equaliser.

But Whyteleafe's joy was very short lived when straight from the kick off, the visitors attacked the other end and Pulman scored his second for what was to prove the winning goal.

The visitors could have got more, Pulman forcing two more good saves from Smith in the closing stages and also found the net again but a foul was awarded against him on Aldous.

Whyteleafe: P Smith, Aldous, Simmons, Fleming, Dudley, Mitchell, Smith, Pitterson (Garrick 67), Grant, Simpson, Dos Santos, Douglin. Subs not used: Borrett, Halili, Brown, Henry-Brown.