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 but 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 in 1970/71, was followed three years later 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 eleven Isthmian League meetings Bay have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 6, scoring 12 times and conceding 17 along the way. There was a frustrating visit to Southwood last December with Bay dominating and taking the lead in the 73rd minute through Nassim Dukali, but Rory Smith and Billy Lewins gave Ramsgate the win in the last five minutes. Lewins had scored for Herne Bay against Ramsgate in April 2017.

Ramsgate have had a poor season thus far, with a high of 14th place, and a low of 22nd. The Rams have not won in their last nine games (7 defeats and 2 draws), since beating Lewes in mid-December, and when they last tasted victory on their travels the weather was still dry and hot, a 3-1 win at Thamesmead Town in September. They currently sit in 19th place with eight wins, seven draws and 18 defeats from their 33 games, and are three positions and 11 points below Herne Bay, who have played two games less. Rory Smith and Alfie Paxman have score 14 goals apiece.

The previous five meetings between the two sides at Winch’s Field has seen 1,382 attend (high 371, low 177), an average of 276.

Results in the corresponding weekend games in previous Isthmian League seasons have seen just one postponement, Eastbourne Town away in 2013/14. Billy Bennett scored Bay’s goal away at Faversham Town in the 1-1 draw in 2012/13, Danny Walder and Danny Spiller in the 2-0 away win at Ramsgate in 2014/15; there was a 3-0 defeat at Worthing in 2015/16 and last campaign a Mark Lovell brace and one from Danny Williams gave Bay a 3-2 Winch’s Field victory over Godalming Town.