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Ramsgate player-manager Jamie Coyle conceded the better team won their top-of-the-table Isthmian South East match at Chatham on Easter Monday.
Substitute Emmanuel Oloyede made an instant impact to break the deadlock after the restart before experienced midfielder Andy Drury netted towards the end at the Bauvill Stadium in front of a record crowd, as it finished 2-0.
The result ended Ramsgate’s 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions and leaves the second-placed outfit five points adrift of frontrunners Chatham, with only six points left to play for this season.
“It’s a little bit frustrating,” reflected Coyle.
“But if you look at the grand scheme of things today, I think they were the better side. They had two moments of quality in the final third that got them the two goals - and we lacked that.
“I said to the boys I’m proud of what they have delivered since I’ve taken the job to be 12 [league] games unbeaten. But today showed that we just need a little bit more of a cutting edge in the final third.
“It happened on Tuesday last week, as well [in a 2-2 draw at Chichester], so we’re frustrated but I think the better team won today.
“You’ve got to hold your hands up. They had more quality than us and they deserved to win the game 2-0.”
But with the match goalless, Rams struck the post inside the first minute of the second period through forward Gil Carvalho.
Coyle said: “Gil hits the post early in the second half at 0-0. If that goes in, it gives us a little bit of impetus to push on.
“But we found it really difficult to get out of our half in the second half, with the wind and we weren’t really securing it in the final third to give us a chance of getting out of our half.
“We’ll dissect it, we’ll look at the video and work hard on Wednesday [at training]. Then, we’ve got a massive game again on Saturday against Whitehawk.
“We haven’t got time to dwell on it and be negative.
"We’ll analyse it, get ready for training on Wednesday and we’ll need a much better performance at home against Whitehawk on Saturday.”
There was a massive crowd of 2,540 for the eagerly-awaited encounter.
“That’s testament to the boys,” said 39-year-old Coyle.
“They have put a solid season together, although we still have a couple of games left.
“We’ve still got loads to play for. We’ve really got to focus on a better performance on Saturday and then, for the final game against Ashford, we’ve just got to deliver more than we did today.
“If we do that in the next games, then we can generate a bit of momentum into the play-offs and, hopefully, get some positive results.”
It doesn't get any easier for Ramsgate, who host third-placed Whitehawk, just a point behind them now, this weekend before a Kent Senior Cup Semi-Final at fierce rivals Margate next Tuesday.
