Ramsgate boss Ben Smith says the Isthmian South East title fight is effectively a two-horse race after a perfect Christmas.

Rams won all three games over the festive period to sit nine points clear at the top of the table.

Unbeaten Cray Valley, who have climbed to second with two games in hand, appear to be their only genuine rivals.

That’s with Three Bridges and Sittingbourne now 12 and 13 points behind respectively, having played a game more.

“In terms of the title charge, it’s probably looking like two teams now, isn’t it?” said Smith.

“There’s a lot of games to go but it looks like it’s between us and Cray Valley. You’d think so.

“It doesn’t look like Cray are going anywhere so we’ve got to keep winning.

“Nothing’s won in January. We’ve got to keep going and if we keep going as we are, anyone chasing us has got to be perfect.”

Ramsgate - 3-1 winners over Herne Bay on Boxing Day - beat Sevenoaks 1-0 on Saturday through TJ Jadama’s 89th-minute strike.

And they recovered from an early own goal to win an intense match 3-2 at Sittingbourne on New Year’s Day.

Jordan Green, Jadama and Joe Taylor’s 100th Ramsgate goal opened up a 3-1 lead before the Brickies added their second.

The manner of the victory pleased Smith, with Rams showing another side to their game.

“Sittingbourne were very good,” said Smith.

“It’s a tough, tough place to go.

“Ryan Maxwell’s got them running through brick walls for him and credit to him. He’s a very good manager.

“I’m delighted to come away with three points because if you think we’re going to slip up somewhere, that was probably high on the list of places.

“The pitch was shocking - it certainly didn’t suit us - but we kept plugging away and we showed a lot of character, which people don’t expect you to have when you’ve got big names for the level they’re at.

“The boys showed they can go and scrap and fight.

“You’re always confident it’s there but until you see it, you don’t really know.

“You’re in the lions’ den there. I’d say Sittingbourne, Hythe and Cray Valley, away, with their pitches, they’re the hardest games you’ll play this season.

“We’ve come through two of them and not lost so we’ve shown we can mix it up. We had to play a different way and the players bought into it and showed they can win ugly.

“Fair play to the boys, and to Sittingbourne, with one day’s rest between the games.

“It’s ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous, to play two games in three days.

“I don’t know how people expect to see amateur clubs doing that.

“It wouldn’t happen at full-time level.

“I don’t get why people think these players are robots who can just get on with it.

“But I also get that some clubs will bank on having big crowds at this time of year, who don’t get them at any other period, so this is their moment to get some money in.”

Taylor brought up his Ramsgate century with his 31st goal this season, against one of his old clubs.

Smith said: “It’s nice for him to get that. If we keep going, he’s going to be close to 50 this season.

“He worked his nuts off against Sittingbourne.

“He was getting beaten up all over the place. He got one good chance and took it.

“He’s dinked the keeper, on that pitch, which just shows how much quality and belief he’s got.”

Ramsgate visit in-form Lancing on Saturday.