Ramsgate kept their Ryman League Premier Division promotion hopes alive to the final game of the season with a fine comeback in the 3-2 win at Hastings United on Saturday.

Substitute Stuart King netted two fine free-kicks inside the last 25 minutes to overturn a 2-1 deficit and boost the Rams’ chances of qualifying for the promotion play-offs.

The Rams host Boreham Wood on Saturday while Hendon face Wealdstone and the Rams will secure the vital fifth spot if they better Hendon’s result.

If both sides win then the Rams will need to make up a four-goal difference deficit.

Warren Schulz put the visitors in front at Hastings before the break but two quickfire goals had the hosts ahead by the hour mark.

King then bagged his first after 64 minutes, just moments after leaving the bench, before snatching the winner 10 minutes from time to secure the Rams’ sixth win in eight league games.

The game also saw the late introduction of Simon Pettit in his first appearance since breaking a leg last year.

Superb

Delighted boss Jim Ward said: “It is a great time for everyone concerned with the club. It is going right down to the wire and it will be a very interesting last day.”

Ward gave his side Tuesday night off and plans only a light training session on Thursday before Saturday’s big clash.

He said: “They have been superb, when they went behind they could have given up – we have already got our trophy – but they dug in and came back strongly.”

Ward watched third-placed AFC Hornchurch’s game at Folkestone on Monday night and said: “We are professional here at Ramsgate.

“Even though we only take one game at a time, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t do my homework on a team that we could end up playing in the play-offs.”

He also scouted Boreham Wood’s clash with Staines – which had the benefit of pitting another potential play-off rival against Saturday’s opponents.

He added of the Boreham Wood game: “It is the biggest game of our season, there’s no doubt about that, bigger than the (Ryman League) cup final. This is Conference football we’re talking about.”

He added: “If we were to get in then none of the sides will want to play us, you can be sure about that. I think whichever team ends up fifth will be the favourites for the play-offs.

“We’ll just have to see what happens.”