Ebbsfleet maintained their winning start to the season with a 1-0 victory against Concord Rangers in Essex.
Dave Winfield’s first goal for the Fleet after 31 minutes the difference between the two sides on Tuesday night. Danny Kedwell went off injured in the second half to leave Fleet with limited options up front as the Fleet dug in to make it 6 points from 6 as they look to escape from National League South.
Ebbsfleet travelled to Canvey Island to face Concord Rangers on the back of an opening day 4-0 victory against Poole with Jack Powell scoring the pick of the goals. Their hosts for the evening were looking for their first positive of the season after going down on the opening day 2-0 away to St Albans.
Fleet started the game with just Kedwell up top with the ammunition from the wings coming from Shields and Cook. Shields was the first to threaten the goal, breaking through two tackles down the inside right before dragging a shot across the goalmouth in the opening 5 minutes.
It was a bright start for the visitors who were striking the ball about confidently in midfield and pressing the home side back with Shields in particularly having the left back at will. As we approached the 15 minute mark, he beat Concord left back Sam Collins to a long ball over the top from Matt Fish and Shields pull back was just put over his own bar by Concord centre back Marvin Ekpiteta for a corner.
After the bright start by the visitors, the home side dragged themselves into the game with a succession of long throws and corners into the Fleet box without ever truly concerning the Fleet defence.
On 32 minutes the Fleet took the lead from an unexpected source. Summer signing Dave Winfield found himself in the centre forward position from Dean Rance prod forward. The centre half expertly turned and placed a left footed shot into the bottom corner beyond Mcnamara. Fleet were on top and Jay Dowie was lucky to not see two yellow cards in the space of a minute, first clattering Cook before flattening Dean Rance seconds later. Both of Jack Powell’s free kicks eventually came to nothing. Ebbsfleet were comfortable and went into the break a goal to the good.
Concord started the second half brightly and in the 52nd minute they should have equalised. Maidstone loanee Alex Akrofi heading wide from 5 yards out unmarked from James White left wing cross. An extra few inches of height for the forward would surely have seen him bury the ball in the bottom corner. Concord were taking advantage of Fleet’s slow start to the second half, Steve Cawley testing Nathan Ashmore with a curling effort from the edge of the area.
In a split second and Fleet were back on the front foot. Cook’s blistering pace set him to the byline and his cutback was met by the onrushing Jack Powell, who forced a fine save by Mcnamara down to his right and behind for a corner. Fleet were to have serious injury concern with captain Danny Kedwell having to be forced off with what looked like an ankle injury with 20 minutes remaining after he was caught in the follow through of a shot from a short corner routine.
Concord pushed for an equaliser as the game entered the final 15 minutes and when Akrofi was hauled down by Winfield down the inside left channel just outside the box, Steve Cawley forced a fine diving save from Ashmore high to his right.
Ebbsfleet came close to a second with 8 minutes to go, Sam Deering racing on to Powell’s pass, cutting in on to his left foot and curling an effort against the post with the keeper beaten. The home side had shouts for a penalty when Akrofi got the wrong side of Winfield and went down under a tangle of legs. The referee blew the whistle, penalising Akrofi for simulation when it could quite easily have been a penalty. The fleet were really holding on as we entered the final minute with Kissock clearing off the line from White scorching left foot drive from a second ball from a corner
Concord: Mcnamara, Girdlestone, Collins ( Teniola 90), Dowie, King, Ekpiteta, Mason (Hodd 84), White ©, Akrofi, Cawley, Carlos.
Yellow cards: Dowie 34, Mason 71, Akrofi 85
Subs not used: Topley, Easterford, Onyemah
Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Fish, Connors, Kissock ( Greenidge 90), Winfield, Clark, Rance, Shields ( Deering65), Kedwell ©( Mcqueen 68), Cook, Powell
Subs not used: Parkes,
Referee: Chris Pollard
Attendance: