Robins Lose To Ramsgate
Carshalton Athletic fell to a 2–1 home defeat against Ramsgate on Saturday in new manager Steven Bates’ first game in charge.
Bates named his first starting XI as Carshalton boss, making five changes from the side that faced Hashtag United last weekend. Matt Kerbey, Sanchez Ming, Tommy Bradford, Kola Salami and Bryan Ifeanyi all returned to the starting line-up.
There were also changes in the technical area, with Chris Dickson promoted to Assistant/Player Manager and Kieron Jackson joining the club as first-team coach. Lee Rogers, already part of Carshalton’s academy setup, was also in the technical area, along with Dave Feasey, who continues in his role as physio.
The game got underway on a mild afternoon at Colston Avenue. The opening 20 minutes were largely uneventful, with both sides settling into the contest. Ramsgate had the first half-chance on eight minutes when Harry Webster delivered from the right-hand side. His cross found Liam Nash, who turned and shot, but his effort cleared the crossbar.
Ramsgate took the lead on 22 minutes. Nash did well to win a corner on the right, which was taken by Alfie Paxman. The delivery reached the back post, and although Matt Kerbey got a touch, the ball fell to Solomon Ogunwomoju, who poked it home to give the visitors a 1–0 lead.
The visitors threatened again two minutes later from another corner. Webster’s delivery from the right was not cleared properly, allowing Paxman to strike from distance. However, Kerbey gathered the effort comfortably.
Carshalton began to build momentum. Salami used his pace to latch onto a loose ball and cut it back from the byline to Ifeanyi, who took a touch and attempted to curl his shot into the far corner.
Dillon Addai did well to push it away. The rebound fell to Bradford, whose effort was blocked and went out for a corner. Minutes later, the Robins had another opportunity when Salami laid the ball off to Shonibare outside the box, but the right-back could not keep his shot down as it flew over the bar.
Ramsgate had another chance on 31 minutes when the ball fell kindly to Paxman outside the area. He hit a sweetly struck volley towards goal with power, but Kerbey was well positioned to hold onto it.
Carshalton equalised on the stroke of half-time. After working the ball into a promising position, it was cut back from the byline to Ifeanyi. The winger struck a powerful effort that crashed against the underside of the crossbar, hit Addai on the way down, and trickled over the line.
The half-time whistle followed shortly after, and new manager Steven Bates would have been pleased with his side’s response to going behind.
However, just four minutes into the second half, Ramsgate regained the lead. In similar fashion to their first goal, they won a corner on the right, with Paxman delivering into the danger area. The ball again reached the back post, where Ogunwomoju was left unmarked to head past Kerbey for his second of the game and restore the visitors’ advantage at 2–1.
Ramsgate continued to press and went close on 58 minutes. Ogunwomoju beat his man and squared the ball to former Robin Kweku Lucan on the right side of the box. Lucan struck his effort powerfully, but it sailed over the crossbar.
They threatened again on 71 minutes when former Robin Eze Ebuzoeme swung a free-kick in from the left touchline. Kerbey managed to tip it onto the crossbar. The rebound fell to Benedict Bioletti, who poked towards goal, but his effort struck the outside of the post and went wide.
Carshalton nearly found an equaliser on 81 minutes. A long ball into the Ramsgate area was controlled by Chris Dickson, who slipped it across to Salami. The winger had a great chance, but Addai reacted superbly to narrow the angle and save with his feet, before the visitors cleared.
Deep into injury time, the Robins had one final opportunity to salvage a point. Fabio Saraiva curled a free-kick into the box
that was met by Dickson, but the striker could not direct his header on target, sending it wide before the referee blew for full-time.
With all of the bottom seven sides failing to pick up points, the result leaves Carshalton in 18th place, one point above the relegation zone. Next up, the Robins travel to Park View Road for a crucial six-pointer against bottom side Welling United on Tuesday night.
Up Next
Date: Tuesday 24th February 2026
Opponents: Welling United
Competition: Isthmian League
KO: 7:45pm
Venue: Park View Road, DA16 1SY
Admissions: Adult £15, Concessions/Students/Blue Light/Armed Forces £10, U18s £6, U11s FREE – Purchase at Turnstiles
