Ramsgate 2 Woking 1 FA Cup match report: Lee Martin scores the winner as Rams stun National League Cards to reach Second Round
Published: 17:04, 04 November 2023
Updated: 10:35, 05 November 2023
Lee Martin scored the winner as Ramsgate came from a goal down to upset Woking and reach the FA Cup Second Round for the first time.
A sell-out crowd of 3,000 at Southwood went mad as Martin, the former Manchester United midfielder, finished Alfie Paxman’s corner with 17 minutes remaining.
Isthmian South East Rams sit 62 places below the National League Cards but Ben Smith’s side battled back brilliantly to win the biggest game in their history.
TJ Jadama cancelled out Dennon Lewis’ opener and the hosts kept their opponents at bay after Martin put them 2-1 up.
Woking showed their higher-league quality in the opening stages, with Rams slow to settle in front of a big home crowd.
The visitors looked that little bit sharper in every department, forcing the hosts to weather a fair bit of pressure.
Rams were struggling to keep the ball and it was no surprise when Woking took a 13th-minute lead, Lewis running on to Morgan Williams’ neat pass and beating Tom Hadler.
Woking remained in control for a spell but Ramsgate grew in confidence with Joe Taylor getting through plenty of work up top and Alfie Paxman and Jordan Green coming into the game out wide.
Martin fired over from 25 yards before Green forced a fine save from Will Jaaskelainen after collecting Taylor’s lay-off.
Ben Smith’s side were getting a feel for the tie and levelled five minutes before half-time.
Forget all your possession stats and patterns of play, sometimes a big old whack downfield is what’s needed.
And how true that proved, with Jadama latching on to keeper Hadler’s giant clearance, holding off his man and easing the ball past Jaaskelainen.
Ramsgate had a big penalty appeal at the end of the first half after Green appeared to be bundled down.
Hadler made an outstanding low save from Williams at the start of the second half before a well-timed challenge by Dan Moss denied Alfie Paxman at the other end.
Sinnkaye Christie then had the ball in the net for Ramsgate after Jaaskelainen saved Taylor’s header from an inswinging Alfie Paxman free-kick but the flag went up for offside.
Hadler came to the rescue once more after an opening for Lewis at his near post as an entertaining tie went from end to end.
It was a case of two teams slugging it out for victory with no obvious gap in divisions.
Then came Rams’ big moment as they went ahead in the 73rd minute.
Alfie Paxman played a low corner back to the penalty spot and it was left to Martin to sweep home.
Rams, as they did at Totton, threw bodies on the line to protect the lead, led once again by big Joe Ellul.
Seven minutes of added time was met with groans but Ramsgate got over the line, with Hadler making another fine stop at the death.
Ramsgate: Hadler, Parter, Ellul, Christie, J Paxman (Anidugbe 70mins), Taylor, Green (Bioletti 74mins), A Paxman, Martin, West (Elito 77mins), Jadama. Subs not used: Young, Procopi, Simmons, Oliver, Hennessey, Holden.
Woking: Jaaskelainen, Moss (Taylor 77mins), Casey, Cuthbert, Lewis, Browne, Wakefield (Amond 55mins), Bradshaw, Odusina (Akinola 77mins), Ince, Williams. Subs not used: Andre Jr, Habergham, Hilton.
Referee: Stephen Parkinson.
Attendance: 3,000.
More by this author
Craig Tucker