Three Bridges 0 Ramsgate 2: Below-par Bridges suffer home defeat

Bridges probably had the better of an indifferent first half, but they looked vulnerable after the break and lost to an average side who were nonetheless better on the day than their hosts.

Alfie Paxman made space for himself before shooting wide inside two minutes, but Bridges had to wait for their first serious effort until the 23rd minute when Tony Garrod chested wide after a lovely chip by Lee Hall.

Five minutes later saw Ramsgate keeper Luke Watkins called into serious action as Allan Tait dummied over Garrod’s short pass, thus allowing Steve Sargent to hit a cracking shot that Watkins pushed away.

Martin Grant kept out a drive from Aaron Millbank, who soon after broke clear and shot wide, injuring himself in the process and taking no further part.

In between Jensen Grant’s low shot was pushed around the post, and the half ended with a terrific run by Grant which ended with him setting up both Tait and Kieran Allan-Djilali, but the ball just wouldn’t go in.

The thoughts were that Bridges would surely step-up another gear and keep Ramsgate on the back foot in the second half, but that scenario was demolished inside four minutes as a low cross by Tom Chapman was tucked home by substitute Sam Lawford from close-range.

Alfie Paxman had two chances to double the score, Martin Grant saving the second effort with his feet, and Alex Rose had to make a goalline clearance before George Crimmen headed wide from Paxman’s free-kick.

A double substitution by Bridges almost brought immediate dividends as Abu Touray set-up Tait, whose shot on the turn was just wide.

But after 67 minutes Lawford returned the favour by being the provider with a delightful back heel that left Chapman with the chance to add Ramsgate’s second.

Devon Fender gave a lively substitute performance as heads around him slumped, forcing Watkins to a good block and then seeing the visiting keeper tip over a close-range effort after Garrod had set him up.

But this was a sadly below-par performance from Bridges, who remain in the bottom-three with just eight games to come.

Bridges: M.Grant, Lansdale, Rose, Hall, Mobsby, Odofin, Sargent (Touray 62), Grant, Tait (Cook 84), Garrod, Allen-Djilali (Fender 62).

Unused sub: Wilson

Attendance: 71

Aerotron Man of the Match: Alex Rose