We've got to put our disappointment behind us, vows Smith

EBBSFLEET UNITED defender James Smith vows to bounce back from their devastating FA Carlsberg Trophy Semi-Final defeat to Stevenage Borough, writes Stephen McCartney.

The holders suffered a crushing 1-0 defeat at Stonebridge Road on Saturday, as Stevenage Borough booked their dream ticket to Wembley Stadium, courtesy of substitute Peter Vincenti drilling a shot across goalkeeper Lance Cronin into the bottom far corner, with the last kick of the game.

The Hertfordshire side stretched their unbeaten run to 21 games, winning the tie 4-2 on aggregate, and will now face York City at Wembley Stadium on 9^th May.

The Fleet now return to Blue Square Premier action on Tuesday night with a long trip to Wiltshire to face Salisbury City in need of three points as their inactivity in the league - they’ve still got to play FOURTEEN league games before the end of the season on 26^th April - has put them on the verge of relegation.

Ebbsfleet are now just one place outside the relegation zone on goal difference and Smith, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after Saturday’s defeat, knows his team-mates must bounce back.

“We’ve got to put our disappointment behind us and pick ourselves up,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of games coming up, Tuesday’s, Thursday’s, Saturday’s towards the end of the season.

“I think we’re pretty confident, you saw by the way we played today. We did well, it just didn’t quite happen for us, but we’ll get ourselves together, get back in training, and we’ll go on from there.”

Relegation to the Blue Square South is not on the agenda for Smith, who was immense throughout the second leg against Stevenage Borough.

“We’ve got to keep on winning, that’s the main thing,” he said. “We can’t get drawn into how many points you get.

“You’ve got to be a team, play as a team and you’ll win as a team. The passions there, there’s no doubt about that.”

Saturday’s gloomy press conference was completely different than last season’s one at Aldershot Town, when The Fleet celebrated their passage to Wembley for the first time, with a 1-1 draw at the hostile Recreation Ground, having done the hard work at home - like Stevenage this year - with a rousing 3-1 victory at Stonebridge Road.

“The passions there, no doubt about that,” insists Wembley winner Smith. “I’m just lost for words on what to say. It’s a contrast from last year, just a different way round.”

Fans are reminded that after their trip to Salisbury, they return to Stonebridge Road on Thursday, 26^th March, to face Forest Green Rovers in the last four of the lucrative Setanta Shield.

Visit Ebbsfleet United’s website: www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk

Salisbury City v Ebbsfleet United
Blue Square Premier
Tuesday 24^th March 2009
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Partridge Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6PU