Ramsgate’s journey in the FA Cup concluded as they were outplayed by AFC Wimbledon, led by the impressive Ali al-Hamadi.
The Iraqi player scored two goals, securing a lucrative match against Ipswich in the third round for Johnnie Jackson’s team. Despite losing by a large margin, this was a memorable night for Ramsgate manager Ben Smith and the 1,400 fans who traveled to support the team. They sang loudly and proudly for their team, who typically play four divisions lower than their opponents.
Smith thought about the journey that brought them here, rather than just tonight. He was amazed by the overwhelming support, especially considering that Ramsgate used to have smaller crowds and now has over 1,000 attendees and 80 youth teams, many of whom were present to show their support tonight.
Ramsgate’s FA Cup campaign began back on 2 September and the side who currently lead the Isthmian South East Division had battled through four qualifying rounds before dumping out National League opposition in Woking in the first round. Twenty coachloads of fans had made the trip to southwest London to watch the lowest-ranked team left in the competition attempt to make more history against a club that knows all about upsetting the status quo.
The cover of the programme featured a photo of Terry Gibson during the 1988 Cup final win against Liverpool, acknowledging AFC Wimbledon’s predecessors. Jackson emphasized the need to take their opponents seriously. However, Ramsgate’s momentum was quickly halted when Jake Reeves scored a powerful goal from outside the box just after Connor Evans missed a header from Wimbledon’s captain’s free kick in the first eight minutes. Despite Thomas Hadler’s efforts to keep Ramsgate in the game, they eventually succumbed to pressure and Hamadi scored his 10th goal of the season in the first half.
At the edge of the field, Smith – a vice principal at a nearby school and the team’s inaugural full-time coach – urged his players to go on the offensive, but they struggled to find an opening for their leading scorer Joe Taylor, who holds a day job selling safety equipment. In the 42nd minute, Ramsgate finally had a chance to fight their way back into the match, but Alex Bass made a strong save to deflect Tijan Jadama’s initial header, and Lee Martin shot over on the rebound. In a clinical move, Wimbledon punished them just seconds later when Josh Neufville redirected their third goal into the net after Hadler had stopped Hamadi’s shot.
The possibility of Wimbledon making a comeback to League One, following their relegation two years ago, may rely on their ability to retain Hamadi. There have been rumors of his potential transfer to a higher level in January. Evans sealed the victory by scoring the fourth goal shortly after the second half began, while Hamadi capitalized on a defensive mistake to secure his second goal of the night.
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Despite their efforts, Ramsgate was unable to score a goal that would please their fans. However, this did not hinder the celebrations in the opposing team’s section. One fan went too far by running the entire length of the field to confront home supporters, but was eventually removed by the police.
Source: theguardian.com
