Ebbsfleet United 0-0 Kettering Town - Daish asks for more support from choir

EBBSFLEET UNITED 0-0 KETTERING TOWN
Blue Square Premier
Sunday 23^rd November 2008
Stephen McCartney reports from Stonebridge Road

EBBSFLEET UNITED boss Liam Daish wanted to know why home fans were silent for most parts of this Blue Square Premier stalemate against bogey side Kettering Town today.

A crowd of just 1,018 - The Fleet’s lowest league crowd of the season - braved the freezing conditions to see the North Kent club pick up their seventh point in three games.

After being knocked out of the FA Cup in the first round by lucky Crewe Alexandra, The Fleet defeated Barrow thanks to Neil Barrett’s late goal and came away from Crawley Town with a 2-1 win, thanks to two late goals in front of the Setanta television cameras last Thursday night.

But Daish, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, said Stonebridge Road was a bit too quiet for his liking.

“I was pleased with the lads today,” he said. “It was hard, it was a tough game, tough conditions, atmosphere again, I don’t know, whether it was on a Sunday, it was a little bit dead.”

But he added: “In the end I thought the crowd really got behind us in the end a little bit more. I wish they were there from the start.

“But I think at the end they saw us playing a bit. We were forcing the issue and trying. I couldn’t ask any more from the players today.

“I thought the crowd could have been a little bit boisterous. I know it’s Sunday, it was like going to church at some points.”

Daish kept faith with the same starting eleven that claimed all three points at Broadfield Stadium last Thursday and they almost broke the deadlock after just 134 seconds.

Craig Stone raced down the left and his cross was met by recent addition Matthew Delicate, but he still managed to get a shot away, despite being off-balanced, but this was comfortably saved by Lee Harper, who began his career here in Kent with Sittingbourne.

Last season’s Blue Square North champions went close after 14 minutes when Tommy Jaszczun’s floated free-kick from deep wasn’t cleared by the Fleet’s defence and Brett Solkhon’s drilled cross-shot from the edge of the six-yard box on the left that was screwed wide by Chris Beardsley.

Harper made a comfortable near post save from Luke Moore’s right-footed drive after Stacy Long retrieved Neil Barrett’s curling cross from the right and cut the ball back to supporting French left-back Sacha Opinel.

Harper made his best save of the half after 23 minutes, tipping over Barrett’s glancing header, after Long whipped in a cross from the left.

Ebbsfleet United goalkeeper Lance Cronin made a smart low save, low to his left, to prevent Beardsley scoring with a stabbed shot from eight-yards, on the angle.

Nippy right-winger, Alfie Potter, who famously gave Blue Square South side Havant & Waterloo Ville a 2-1 lead in last season’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Liverpool at Anfield, picked up a slack Opinel pass in midfield before bursting forward and after cutting inside drilled his shot past the near post.

A rocket launched long-throw from Kettering defender Exodus Geohaghon caused panic in Ebbsfleet’s penalty area and as the ball bounced into the penalty area, Solkhon’s stabbed shot deflected just over the crossbar.

From Craig Westcarr’s resulting corner, John Dempster was left unmarked and his header bounced off the top of the crossbar and thankfully dropped over for a goal kick.

Cronin made a crucial save on the stroke of half time when Kettering striker Isyeden Christie burst clear off the home side’s defence following a long ball over the top, but his left-footed lashed shot was tipped over by the goalkeeper at his near post.

The first second half chance that reigned in on Harper’s goal came after just 82 seconds, when Long’s right-footed free-kick from 28-yards floated harmlessly past the post.

A move involving Moore and Long dropped to striker Michael Gash, but his driven shot was straight at Harper.

Cronin then made a smart low save to his right to prevent Potter scoring from a volley before Gash squandered the Kent’s side’s best chance after 62 minutes.

Delicate’s weaving run saw him cut through the Kettering defence, and his low centre from the right was lashed over by the former Cambridge City striker, albeit thanks to a deflection.

A pacy run from Kettering substitute Chris Arthur resulted in him flashing a 30-yard drive past the far post as the dark clouds hovered above.

Fleet defender, Darius Charles, up for the corner, glanced Long’s cross from the right past the far post with nineteen minutes remaining.

Despite sleet lashing down from the darkness above for the last ten minutes, The Fleet were the side that went for the winning goal.

Substitute George Purcell lashed his shot over after Long’s initial low shot was blocked inside the penalty area and then Harper made two late saves, initially spilling Long’s driven near post shot and then making a comfortable low save to prevent Gash scoring his eighth goal of the season.

Kettering almost stole victory at the death, Cronin beating out Arthur’s left-footed angled drive from the left on the counter attack.

“They’ve come out with a lot of credit in my eyes,” Daish said of his players.

“I said at half-time we could easily win this or could easily lose this so it’s all about concentration or a break up front. We didn’t quite get that up front but I thought the lads at the back, (picked up a) clean sheet against a tough side was good.

“We’ve ground out a 0-0, we’d like to get three points but we played some decent stuff. We tried to mix it up, just couldn’t get that break.

“But again, credit to (Kettering), you’ve got to give credit to the team you’re playing. These teams you play against have got their own agenda. They’re not going to sit here and lie down, they’re going to dig in and that’s what they’ve done.”

Daish was satisfied with the four points haul from their games against two sides in the top six.

“Well, if you look at the two results, the two games coming after the Barrow game, Crawley and Kettering, they’re both in the top (six),” said Daish.

“If someone had given you four points there you would have taken it. That’s being realistic and we’ve got four points going to Cambridge now. That will be a different proposition as they have to come out at us a little bit.

“If we keep it nice and solid we’ll look forward to that (next Saturday).”

Daish, whose side welcome Dover Athletic as they defend the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday night, was pleased that his side went on to maintain their eighth clean sheet of the season, adding, “We didn’t lose it by anything sloppy. We kept it nice and tight.”

Ebbsfleet United: Lance Cronin, Mark Ricketts (Danny Slatter 84), Sacha Opinel, James Smith, Darius Charles, Neil Barrett, Craig Stone (Karl Murray 76), Stacy Long, Luke Moore, Matthew Delicate (George Purcell 64), Michael Gash.
Subs: Sam Mott, Dean Pooley.

Booked: Mark Ricketts 83

Kettering Town: Lee Harper, John Dempster, Exodus Geohaghon, Guy Branston, Tommy Jaszczun, Alfie Potter (Chris Arthur 66), Brett Solkhon, Darren Wrack, Craig Westcarr, Isyeden Christie (Nathan Smith 82), Chris Beardsley (Gareth Seddon 59).
Subs: Nicky Eaden, David Galbraith.

Booked: Brett Solkhon 54, Exodus Geohaghon 86

Attendance: 1,018 (58 away supporters)
Referee: Mr David Coote (Newark)
Assistants: Mr Brian Williams & Mr Brian O’Sullivan
Fourth Official: Mr Mark Bampton