Miles Rutherford, Dabba & H made two changes to the starting XI that beat Carshalton at Oaklands last time out as Misha Djemaili, complete with nose guard, lined up in midfield rather than Olly Munt, and Ethan Prichard returned after injury. Curtis Da Costa again partnered Ben Pashley in the heart of the defence alongside Rob Hutchings and Isaac Bello left and right of keeper Kieran Magee. Holding player Joe Moore began with Lloyd Rowlatt and Emmett Dunn in the centre of the park and Prichard was joined by Obodo up top. Theo Bennetts, Mo Jammeh, Joe Clarke, Jimmy Wild and Munt were all on the bench.
The Kent-based team and Chi have had some right old run-ins over the years since Rutherford’s men beat them here 2-1 when Matt Axell scored twice back in 2019 in the first game of the season, and memorably they somehow won the play-of semi-final thanks to a late lone-goal from Jammeh against Ramsgate who finished 20 points above them in the league, before thrashing Three Bridges 5-0 away in the final to earn promotion to Step 3 for the first time in their history.
Things were very different on this occasion at the WW Martin Community Stadium however, and the Sussex side conceded after barely five minutes when Gayle tucked away the loose ball from a corner that should have been cleared.
The hosts actually might have gone one-up only 120 seconds into the match but Solomon Ogunwomoju spectacularly headed wide of the mark.
Magee then had to gather Ramsgate stalwart Alfie Paxman’s dangerous ball in before Lucan fired one over the bar following a Lillywhites’ defensive slip.
Next, Lucan smacked an effort high and wide nine minutes in and Prichard got dispossessed as the away side huffed and puffed but couldn’t really get into gear.
The Chi No11 then was flagged offside and Chichester had to hook away Ogunwomoju’s cross.
Magee palmed clear Paxman’s next delivery and was first to the ball in the following melee.
A couple of minutes later Hutchings cleared a threatening throw as the visitors had to soak up even more pressure.
The Chichester captain then had his side’s only genuine shot of the first half which was deflected for a corner that Prichard took which came to nothing.
Both teams exchanged throw-ins in the next spell and Pashley hooked away Harry Webster’s cross at the mid-point.
Next, his fellow defenders charged down another shot before Obodo had a go that was also blocked.
Da Costa then got impeded trying to clear, and Rams keeper Dillon Addai gathered Bello’s long ball easily enough on the half hour.
Rowlatt was booked for a late challenge on Billy Munday and Hutchings had a poor pass intercepted before Dunn overran the ball for a Ramsgate goal-kick.
Further passes went astray as the first period petered out before referee Peter Conn called time after an additional sixty seconds.
Less than a minute into the second half the hosts doubled their lead through debutant Lucan and at the other end Dunn had a ball hooked clear by Henry Lukombo.
Addai then raced off his line as Chi probed and headed away and the Sussex side won a corner that Munday nodded clear of any danger.
Moore, who bagged a brace against Carshalton, hit off target before Da Costa got away with one when he fouled Jadama on the edge of the box.
Greg Cundle’s resulting set-piece wasn’t far off and Pashley inadvertently conceded a corner which Magee gloved away.
The visitors made a triple change on 59 with Wild, Jammeh and Clarke all coming on as Rutherford & Co shuffled the pack.
Magee then had to whack the ball out up against sub Benny Bioletti before he punched clear the subsequent long throw.
Next, Wild was unlucky and thundered the ball against the bar in the 68th minute and at the opposite end Mitchell May had a chance to make it 3-0 but was denied.
Then a Rams’ corner sailed straight over everyone; a couple of other opportunities came and went; and the away side made another substitution.
Clarke had a shot cleared with 10 minutes of normal time to go and Bennetts replaced Moore.
Obodo gave Chi a life-line on 82 with a fine individual goal netting his fourth in less than a month.
Bioletti should have wrapped things up though moments later and Wild was denied once more when Addai parried his fierce shot.
The final goal came however via Jadama, who shone all afternoon, with just two minutes of normal time to go after a mazy run from his own half and a neat finish.
City might have got what would only prove to be a consolation second goal but the ball landed on the top of the net after Addai punched clear.
And Obodo struck one high over the cross bar with the last kick of the game after five stoppage minutes.
So, Chi drop to ninth place in the league after a disappointing afternoon.
Next up is Wingate & Finchley at Oaklands Park on Saturday 17th January (Kick Off 3.00pm).
Chichester – Magee, Bello, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Pashley, Djemaili, Dunn, Obodo, Rowlatt, Prichard (Bennetts, Munt, Clarke, Jammeh, Wild).
