RAMSGATE 1 Metropolitan Police 1

Metropolitan Police remain undefeated in their past seven matches but they really should have snatched an important three Ryman Division One South points in stoppage time with the opportunities they created in Kent on Saturday.

The game was played on a pitch that cut up badly. Craig Carley and Craig Brown had good attacking runs during the opening period into the Ramsgate area.

Lee Gledhill also put a good cross into the visitors’ area but Ron Edwards’s header was just wide.

There were certainly some hard tackles going in from both sides.

Ramsgate should have opened the scoring on 41 minutes.

Gary Mickelborough tested Police keeper Mo Maan with a ferocious 21-yard free-kick.

Maan did well to block the ball and it bounced off his chest onto the six-yard line.

Gary Lockyer with an open goal in front of him somehow volleyed the ball well over the bar. A let-off for the Police.

It was the visitors who dominated the opening period of the second half.

Ramsgate weathered the storm and, with an opportunist angled shot from all of 22 yards, Ben Laslett’s screamer was brilliantly saved by Maan at the second attempt.

On 55 minutes, the Police relaxed and failed to clear the ball, allowing Tom Tsangarides to drive the ball beneath the diving body of Maan to put the home side one up.

This was a wake-up call for the Police. Striker Carley on 70 minutes picked up a Michael Cobden throughball and rounded a defender before running all of 25 yards.

With the keeper and two defenders closing him down, he still managed to drive the ball just inside the far post for a deserved equaliser.

The Police fought hard for a deserved winner. Gledhill chanced his arm with a 30-yard drive that took a deflection off a Ramsgate defender for a corner.

Rob Smith’s header from the resulting corner was just tipped over the bar by keeper Sam Mott.

The game went into stoppage time and the Ramsgate area was under siege. Craig Brown did all the hard work and burst into the area and there was a good appeal for a penalty as he fell from a tackle from behind.

The assistant referee flagged for a foul but the referee alas played on.

It got worse as Nicky Humphrey then hit the post from 10 yards out. Not to be outdone, a final attack and Carley rounded a couple of defenders and was clear but chose to fire his shot straight into the arms of Mott.

The Police deserved to win and will want to forget those missed opportunities.

For the home side they were satisfied with a point and were glad when the final whistle was blown.

ATTENDANCE 180

NEXT GAMES

Tuesday, March 2 (7.45pm): Metropolitan Police v Corinthian Casuals, Ryman FL Div One South

Thursday, March 4 (7.45pm): Walton & Hersham, Walton & Hersham v Metropolitan Police, Ryman FL Div One South

Saturday, March 6 (3pm): Metropolitan Police v Folkestone Invicta, Ryman FL Div One South