Match Preview

The earliest incarnation of Ramsgate FC had played since at least 1886 but folded in 1924, with local rivals Ramsgate Glenville taking over their Southwood Stadium. Glenville did not reform after World War II and a new club dubbed Ramsgate Athletic took over Southwood. The club retained the Athletic name until 1972. Athletic played in the original incarnation of the Kent League from their formation until the collapse of the league in 1959. This was the club's best period for nearly 50 years, with two consecutive league titles, several county cups, and a run to the first round of the FA Cup. With the collapse of the Kent League the Rams migrated to the Southern League, where they initially did well but were forced to resign and drop down to the re-formed Kent League in 1976. For nearly thirty years the club performed well without seriously challenging for promotion, but their fortunes changed in 2004. There were two consecutive championships (Kent League Premier Division and Isthmian League First Division), taking the club into the Isthmian League Premier Division for 2006/07. In the club's first season in the Premier Division the Rams finished in 9th place, and followed this with an even better season in 2007/08, finishing in 5th place to reach the play-offs, although they were beaten 2–1 in the semi-final by Staines Town. The following season, however, Ramsgate finished bottom of the table and were relegated. They are now in their ninth season in the Isthmian South and the previous eight has rarely seen them trouble either the promotion or relegation places.

The clubs met 58 times in the Kent League between 1976/77 and 2004/05 with Herne Bay winning 25 of the clashes, 12 were drawn and the Rams were victorious on 20 occasions. Perhaps the most memorable season was 2004/05 when Herne Bay, under new manager Jason Lillis, and Ramsgate, with Jim Ward at the helm, fought side by side for the title, and on 12/04/2005 playing in front of 412 at Winch’s Field, and with the Rams having the champagne on ice in the visitors’ dressing room, a brace from Richard Sinden and one from Steven Lloyd gave Bay a 3-1 victory leaving them three points behind and with an inferior goal difference. Herne Bay picked up just one point from the remaining nine, handing Ramsgate the title. Then on 30/04/2005 the League Cup final, at Folkestone Invicta's Cheriton Road, saw Ramsgate complete the double with a 2-1 victory. Danny Kedwell scored Herne Bay’s goal.

There have been several meetings in the national cup competitions. A great 3-1 FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round home victory over the Rams’ previous incarnation, Ramsgate Athletic, on the way to the 4th Qualifying Round, was followed three years late by away defeat 1-2, in the Preliminary Round. There was another defeat, by the same scoreline in the 1st Qualifying Round in 1976/77 and 1999/00 had seen a 2-4 loss in the FA Vase 2nd Round, when Ramsgate reached the quarter-finals.

In the ten Isthmian League meetings Bay have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 5, scoring 11 times and conceding 15 along the way. Last season, in December, Danny Williams and Kane Phillip scored the goals in a 2-0 victory at Southwood and in the last home game of the campaign, Ramsgate came back from two goals down with 17 minutes left on the clock in this enthralling encounter in front of Bay’s best home gate of the season of 371. Jack Delo made his 400th appearance for Herne Bay. Liam Quinn and Billy Lewis were Herne Bay’s scorers.

Ramsgate have had an inconsistent season thus far, with a high of 14th place, and a low of 22nd. They currently sit in 20th place with six wins, four draws and 11 defeats from their 21 games, following their mid-week 1-5 mauling at the hands of Cray Wanderers, and are ten places and eight points below Herne Bay, who have played one game less.

Ramsgate play their home matches at Southwood Stadium, Ramsgate, Kent. CT11 0AN. 13.6 miles from Winch’s Field. Estimated journey time 22 minutes. The previous five meetings between the two sides at Southwood has seen an average of 216 attend. Ramsgate are 8th in the Isthmian League South attendance table with an average of 191 (high 253, low 135). The return at Winch’s Field is on 17/02/2018.