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Wednesday 15 April 2015

The county of Kent is often called the Garden of England and, when you're on the high speed train out of St Pancras, you find out why shortly after departing Ashford International to sweep back towards Canterbury and the coast beyond. Yep, with rusty barbecues, long forgotten bikes, trampolines and slides as far as the eye can see, the whole county is just like a typical suburban garden.

Then you get to Ramsgate. Being a mid-week game there was no time for a mooch around the local fleshpots but there was time to call in at the Australian Arms for, just one, pint of locally brewed Gadds' No 5. Very nice it was too.

To the ground then and a choice of bottled beers in the clubhouse (Badger Brewery Hopping Hare did nicely). Nice ground for this level really, good amount of covered terracing at each end, seats down one side with uncovered hardstanding opposite.

A lovely evening and, as twilight descended, the sunset behind the goal we were defending in the first half meant that the feeble floodlights struggled to shed much light on proceedings. In the second half, twilight having given way to darkness and void, the lights put in a better display.

The match was a largely turgid affair. Paris Pereira was about the only recognosable player on the pitch in the first half, due to the gloom, but that was mainly due to the bandage he found himself sporting following, presumably, a bit of a knock. Through the gloom a grainy shape appeared to be having a good game in the middle of defence, Mr Geall we believe. Marc McGrath put in a good shift  and developed a bit of a friendship with Ramsgate's no 3 throughout the match. Jason and Luke Winch both looked lively coming on for the second half.

GFC's man of the match though was Jacob Machlowski. As keepers go he isn't big but he coped with everything thrown (and kicked) at him. And Ramsgate threw the kitchen sink in the second half as they really needed the three points.

Nothing near a vintage performance but, bearing in mind this was a midweek game with a 14 man squad, the lads dug deep for the draw. And nobody can point a finger at our, so called, weak midweek squad having influenced the outcome of a relegation dogfight.

It's said that Isthmian League officials might have had a word with GFC about weakened squads travelling for midweek away games. Haven't had the opportunity to ask a club director since I heard about the possible chat but, presumably, league officials have similarly chats with clubs that have a wholesale change in squad members as the season progresses.

Today is one of those days when we need to put the trials and tribulations of supporting a modest non-league football club into perspective, however. We're able to follow and support our team in 2015, which is more than can be said for 96 supporters of Liverpool FC who never returned home from a day at the football 26 years ago.

May they never walk alone.

A sausage, a wrap and a mild mannered janitor.

With the trials and tribulations of last season fast receding and o the back of three impressive displays, unbeaten against teams expected ...