Liam Dickson is setting the standard at Ramsgate by playing through the pain barrier.

The former Folkestone defender has a hernia problem but is determined to keep going for the good of the team.

Dickson scored a last-minute winner against Molesey on Saturday for a 2-1 scoreline and as far as head coach Lloyd Blackman was concerned, no-one deserved a goal more.

He said: “Dicko was outstanding. He’s been with me for three or four months and after a month, we identified that he’s got a sports hernia but he’s making himself available every session and every game.

“At half-time you could see the pain on his face.

“The guy is running through walls for the club and we had a real decision about whether or not to bring him off but he said ‘no chance.’

“For him then to get the winner, I couldn’t be more pleased for Dicko. It just goes to show his character.

“Dicko will be the first one to acknowledge he’s nowhere near technically as good as 90% of our players but he’s a man and his heart, desire, work and professionalism will always make him the first name on the team sheet.

“For him to pop up with a 90th-minute winner, with half a groin hanging off, you get your rewards. You work hard and you earn the right.

“Some of those younger players maybe need to look at people like Dicko, Ollie Gray, George Crimmen and Tom Chapman, who never, in any circumstances, spit their dummies out.

“It’s a learning curve for some of those younger lads.”

Victory on Saturday was Ramsgate's first since Christmas.

Blackman said: "It was our worst performance of the season by a country mile and yet we walked away with three points.

"It's a funny old game. You put together some performances, you think you deserve results and the complete opposite happened on Saturday.

"On reflection, the conditions were very poor, the wind was blowing a gale and the ground's beginning to harden up now. It was a bit bobbly and two teams lacking confidence."

Ramsgate visit Bostik South leaders Lewes on Saturday.