Ebbsfleet United won the 125th Kent Senior Cup with a comfortable 4-0 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Dover Athletic at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium on May Bank Holiday Monday.
In a dress rehearsal for this Saturday’s Skrill South’s promotion play-off final, Dover came into the game making 11 changes to their starting line up whilst Ebbsfleet made 6 but Ebbsfleet will go into the game this coming Saturday with the psychological edge after today’s victory.
In a lacklustre opening to the game with both sides showing plenty of effort but lacking in quality, Osei Sanfoka gave Ebbsfleet the lead with a free header from close range after nineteen minutes – Michael Thalassitis finding Sankofa, heading Daryl McMahon’s corner across goal from the far post.
Ebbsfleet extended their lead five minutes into the second half – Alex Osborn with the simplest of headers inside the six-yard box after an inviting ball in on the left hand side by Aiden Palmer.
Anthony Cook almost extended the lead for Ebbsfleet but his curling right footed effort from the left edge of the penalty area went narrowly over Lee Hooks’ crossbar.
Just shy of the hour mark Ebbsfleet’s McMahon shot across goal but narrowly wide of the left hand post 12 yards out on the left side of the penalty area.
Ebbsfleet’s dominant second half was rewarded further just after the hour with Daryl McMahon’s left footed curler finding Hook’s bottom right hand corner. The short corner played to him on the right hand side after a positive run towards goal by Thalassitis earned his side the opportunity.
Aiden Palmer had a chance to make it four with twenty minutes to go after good work by Captain Paul Lorraine but wasted the opportunity, blazing over from 15 yards.
With fifteen minutes remaining Dover’s Elliott Charles hit Brandon Hall’s left hand post after being put through by Brendan Owusu-Ansah – Charles’ first touch gave himself too much to do, taking him wider than he would have hoped.
With just over ten minutes to go Ebbsfleet’s Palmer again wasted a good opportunity blazing over once again when well placed inside the penalty area
With five minutes remaining Hall kept Dover out with a brilliant save from a close range header by captain Michael Kamara although at the time he wouldn’t have been aware of the offside flag being waved.
Moments before the final whistle Stacey Long provided some extra gloss to the scoreline with Ebbsfleet’s fourth, scoring from close range after good work by Osborn.
Dover Athletic: Hook, Beard, Gabriel, Owusu-Ansah, Kamara ©, Forbes, Heffernan, Rogers (Priddle, 80), Charles, Murphy (Donnelly, 71), Fisher (Isichei, 58)
Subs Not Used: Smith, Harrington
Ebbsfleet United: Hall, Sessegnon, Palmer, McMahon (Mazzone, 68), Lorraine ©, Sankofa, Osborn, Huke (Barnes, 74), Thalassitis, Long, Cook (Howe, 65)
Subs Not Used: Edwards, Bricknell
Goals: Sanfoka 19; Osborn 50; McMahon 63; Long 90+2
Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis
Assistants: Nolan Wilde and Paul Yates
Att; 1,524
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