Sean Shields came off the bench to score a brace that earned a victory for Ebbsfleet United against F.C Halifax Town.
Although Ebbsfleet started the stronger they were indebted to a Nathan Ashmore save to avoid going behind. Josh McDonald left Jack Connors in his wake on the overlap and his square pass found Adam Morgan in the centre. His first time shot was clean but Ashmore dived to beat it out.
Almost twenty minutes had passed before Ebbsfleet registered their first shot on target. Darren McQueen’s speed from a long ball out gave him the opportunity to spin and shoot but Sam Johnson made a flying save to keep it out.
Tom Denton had a shout for a penalty for the Shayman when his shirt was grabbed as a cross came with the visitors continuing to ask questions.
Matt Kosylo was next to come close with a shot that came back oiff the post..
Another shout for a penalty was waved away when McDonald’s cross hit an Ebbsfleet defender and went out. The Halifax players in the vicinity were in accord and had to be calmed down by referee David Rock.
It was then the turn of Johnson to make a good save when Jack Powell cut in but the Halifax custodian was equal to it, keeping it out with his feet. Then Sam Magri fired wide as Ebbsfleet started to exert a little more pressure.
Both teams made substitutions before half time with Danny Clarke replacing Connor Oliver for Halifax and Sean Shields coming on for Ebbsfleet’s injured Andy Drury.
One last chance came and went for the Fleet when Myles Weston claimed a return pass from Danny Kedwell but was unable to hit the target with his effort.
Immediately after the break, Halifax were awarded a very soft free kick when Tom Denton went down easily from a fair looking challenge. Morgan’s delivery was far too straight but Ashmore made a mess of it and was happy that a defender got there first to hack away his fumble.
That proved invaluable as within a minute Ebbsfleet went ahead. McQueen found Shields who cut in from the left and shot towards the near post. Although Johnson got a hand on it, it was not strong enough to keep it out.
Denton headed wide for the visitors before good work by Morgan set him up for another chance that he wasted by shooting wide.
Kosylo then had a shot beaten out by Ashmore as the Shaymen tried to get back into the game.
However, Ebbsfleet weathered that mini-storm and extended their lead in the 71st minute. Once again, Shields was the man, once more collecting from McQueen. This time he cut in from the other wing before firing inside the hapless Johnson’s near post.
After that, they rarely looked like being troubled although Ashmore had to be alert to save from Morgan.
In fact, they might have increased their lead when Weston stabbed a shot just wide and Powell fired a 90th minute free kick over.
Consecutive wins, and three clean sheets in a row has set them up perfectly for their visit to Solihull Moors on Tuesday night.
Ebbsfleet United: Ashmore, Magri, Connors, Rance, Clark, Bush, Weston, Drury (Shields 41), Kedwell, McQueen (Coulson 76), Powell. Subs not used: McCoy, Miles, Mills.
F.C. Halifax Town: Johnson, Moyo (McManus 80), Wilde, Oliver (Clarke 31), Brown, Hotte, MacDonald (Charles 63), Lynch, Denton, Morgan, Kosylo . Subs not used: Nicholson, Tomlinson.
Ebbsfleet United
Goalscorers: Shields (47) & (71)
Yellow cards: Ashmore
Red cards:
F.C. Halifax Town:
Goalscorers:
Yellow cards:
Red cards:
Referee: David Rock
Assistants: Marcus Carmichael and Chris Felton
4th Official: Steven Scott
Attendance: 1,643
Ebbsfleet star player: Sean Shields
Images courtesy of Dave Budden