Ebbsfleet United take a one goal advantage into the second leg of the Vanarama National South Playoff Semi Final after a hard fought victory against Hampton & Richmond Borough at the Beveree.
The Fleet got off to a flying start with a fair slice of luck after five minutes when Dean Rance’s shot took a wicked deflection which took the ball into the net. Ebbsfleet defended well after that and scored a second two minutes from half time when Aaron McLean converted a hotly disputed penalty. The home side though pulled a goal back before half time when Duncan Culley pounced on a rare mistake by keeper Nathan Ashmore to make the second half an interesting affair but Ebbsfleet had the sufficient quality to return to Stonebridge Road on Sunday with a lead.
Daryl McMahon’s side came into the playoffs as favourites for promotion after narrowly missing out on the National South title at the weekend by two points from eventual champions Maidenhead United and finished 27 points clear of tonight’s opponents Hampton & Richmond Borough who despite finishing seventh qualified for the final playoff place due to Poole Town and Hungerford Town’s ineligibility to participate in the playoffs.
However, this looked a close game and the two league games between the sides both ended in 1-1 draws so Alan Dowson’s side who were Ryman Premier Champions last season have had a very positive return to the National South after a four season absence.
On a wet and murky evening a huge crowd of 1,689 including a sizeable contingent from Kent meant there was a fabulous atmosphere before kick off.
After a quiet opening five minutes, Ebbsfleet with their first serious attack of note took the lead. Good work down the left saw Jack Connor play the ball to Andy Drury who in turn set up Dean Rance for a shot from just inside the area which took a wicked deflection off Nathan Collier giving home keeper Sam Howes no chance.
Hampton recovered well from this setback but found it hard to create chances as Dave Winfield and Kenny Clark repelled what the home side could throw at them.
Perhaps the nearest they came was from a free kick out on the left of the penalty area following a foul on Christian Jolley. From the free kick, Tom Jelley’s shot was blocked by Rance and the follow up was blazed wide by Jelley.
Hampton threatened again with a free kick this time out on the right and Josh Casey’s shot was well claimed by Nathan Ashmore.
The game then went through a scrappy phase with Ebbsfleet perhaps having an element of control with creating too much but the game came to life in the last couple of minutes of the half.
In the 43rd minute, Ebbsfleet were awarded a penalty when Rance played in Sam Deering who was adjudged to have been fouled inside the area possibly by the unlucky Collier. The penalty was despatched emphatically by Aaron McLean to give Ebbsfleet some daylight.
However, this lasted only for a minute as on the stroke of half time, Hampton pulled a goal back. A shot from Jelley seemed to be comfortably covered by Ashmore but he allowed the ball to squirm from his grasp and Duncan Culley who was sent off when the two sides met in the league in March following up knocked the ball into the net.
The second half promised much and there was certainly a lot of passion in the game and the home side fancied themselves to stage a comeback.
They were almost gifted another goal when Connors back pass was almost intercepted by Jolley and Culley and Ashmore had to dramatically clear the ball.
Ebbsfleet though looked to have the extra quality in attack and almost made it 3-1 when a terrific cross from the right by Deering was met by the head of McLean but put his header over the bar from eight yards.
The Fleet continued to forge the better openings and from a right wing corner, Jack Powell’s cross was headed off target by Winfield. Then from a free kick floated into the area, Drury and Clark rose for the ball but steered the ball away from goal.
Hampton kept going and tested Ashmore from distance when Leon Solomon and Culley combined to set up Brendan Kiernan whose shot from twenty yards forced Ashmore to dive to save. This was followed by a header wide of goal by Michael Kamara.
For the last twenty five minutes the flow of the game began to be disrupted and became something of a war of attrition and there were three bookings in a short space of time. Jolley and Culley for Hampton and Anthony Cook for Ebbsfleet.
The game burst back into life in the last five minutes and Ebbsfleet were unlucky not to score a third when Connor found Deering down the left of the penalty area and he curled a fine shot heading for the top right corner but the ball was palmed acrobatically over the bar by Howes for a corner.
Hampton forced one or two corners and almost grabbed an equaliser when Stiven Rivic’s cross found Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick who curled a shot from fifteen yards which just went over the crossbar.
The game then went through four minutes of injury time and Ebbsfleet almost scored again two minutes into added time when down the right, the ball was worked to Drury who hit a snap shot which Howes did well to push behind for a corner.
In the end Ebbsfleet comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to take a goal lead into Sunday’s second leg at Stonebridge Road. Hampton showed they could still be difficult opponents so shouldn’t be taken lightly but Ebbsfleet just had that bit of extra quality where it mattered and the possibility of a mouth watering final with Dartford is still very much on following the Darts goalless draw at Chelmsford in the other semi final tie.
Hampton & Richmond: Sam Howes, Michael Kamara, Josh Casey, Nathan Collier, Kieran Murphy, Leon Solomon (Capt.) (Stiven Rivic, 81), Tom Jelley, Harold Odametey (Sam Gallagher, 17) , Duncan Culley, Christian Jolley, Brendan Kiernan (Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick).
Subs not used: Billy Bishop, Joe Hicks
Booked: Jolley, Culley
Ebbsfleet United: Nathan Ashmore, Anthony Cook, Jack Connor, Marvin McCoy, Dave Winfield (Capt.), Kenny Clark, Jack Powell, Andy Drury, Aaron McLean (Danny Kedwell, 90+5), Dean Rance, Sam Deering.
Subs not used: Yado Mambo, Jon Miles, Sean Shields, Darren McQueen
Booked: Cook
Referee: Chris Pollard
Assistants: Shaun Farrer, Tristan Greaves
Fourth Official: Robert Massey-Ellis
Attendance: 1,689