Nathan Ashmore was the hero for Ebbsfleet as they beat Whitehawk on penalties to reach the final of the National League South playoffs.

After a 2-1 win in the first leg, Daryl McMahon’s side were looking to avoid defeat in the second tie, which happened to be the fourth time this season Ebbsfleet and Whitehawk had faced off. Ebbsfleet would have been happy with the same scoreline as the last time the Sussex side came to Stonebridge Road- a 2-2 draw would send them through to the final.

The Ebbsfleet manager kept the same starting eleven from Wednesday’s win, meaning captain Tom Bonner remained on the bench. Whitehawk’s Pablo Asensio made one change from the midweek fixture, this came in the form of Luke Graham being replaced by Chris Sessegnon, allowing the full back to start against his former club.

In the build up to the game it was suggested that whoever scored first would have the best chance of reaching the final, and within five minutes the visitors broke the deadlock. Ebbsfleet game David Martin too much time on the left wing, allowing the wide player to hit a cross towards the far post, which Nick Arnold powered past Nathan Ashmore.

Both sides continued to apply early pressure, another Davis Martin cross from the left was headed away and moments later Matt Godden seemed to be pulled down in the penalty area, but the referee didn’t see enough to award a spot kick.

The hosts soon worked their way into the pace of the game, and they thought that they had equalised on twenty minutes. Danny Kedwell headed home a Sam Deering free kick, but the referee saw a foul in the build-up.

There was no such foul in the Fleet’s next opportunity though. After Danny Kedwell was denied, Sam Deering went across to the left corner to put the ball back into play. His cross found Kenny Clark who shrugged off his man to stab home at the far post.

The momentum was clearly with Ebbsfleet after their equaliser, and soon after Matt Godden found himself with a free header, but his effort was tipped away by Craig Ross.

With time running out in the half, Whitehawk pushed on to level on aggregate, their final effort of the half came with seconds left, but after David Martin was picked out in the area, his header was acrobatically saved by Nathan Ashmore, keeping Ebbsfleet 3-2 up on aggregate.

Much like the first half, Whitehawk scored early in the second period. Davis Mertiin found too much space for a cross into the middle where Danny Mills stood, waiting to receive the ball. Mills’ looping header flew over Nathan Ashmore and dipped under the bar, giving Whitehawk their much needed goal to make it 3-3 on aggregate.

As the tough afternoon continued, both on the pitch and in the stands, Ebbsfleet thought they had retaken control of the tie. A misplaced Joe Howe cross fell into the hands of Craig Ross, only for the goalkeeper to collide with one of his defenders, allowing Danny Kedwell to slot home. The hosts’s celebrations came to a premature end, presumably because the referee thought it was Kedwell who collided with Ross, not one of the ‘keepers on team mates.

Jake Robinson came close for the visitors minutes later, but his flick on at the near post rolled inches wide of Nathan Ashmore’s goal.

As time ran out, both sides pushed on, looking for the winning goal. Matt Godden ran onto a long ball forward, only for his lobbed effort to be gathered by Craig Ross. Whitehawk countered with Jordan Rose heading over and the hosts returned the favour when Kenny Clark’s header from a corner met the same fate.

With less than ten minutes until the dreaded extra time, Danny Kedwell set Matt Godden free, only for the striker’s half volley to be tipped wide by Ross. The visitors responded with Serrgio Torres hitting a fantastic strike against the goal frame, and the visitor’s pressure went on. Ebbsfleet were forced to defend corner after corner, relying on the pace of Matt Godden to counter and find a winning goal.

Neither team were able to find a winner in the three added minutes, forcing the sides into another 30 minutes of gruelling, high paced football.

The visitors had the first chance of the half when David Martin skipped through the Ebbsfleet defence, but he was denied by the big frame of Nathan Ashmore. Anthony Acheampong got his head to a Jordan Parkes free kick, but he was unable to convert, bringing the end to a very tight 15 minutes of football.

The second half of extra time began with Danny Mills heading over from a corner. The visitor’s dominance went on, although nobody could reach Nick Arnold’s free kick. But with five minutes left, Ebbsfleet found the energy that had deserted them for the past twenty minutes. Danny Kedwell forced a low save from Craig Ross before Matt Godden curled a shot wide, meaning the dreaded penalty shootout awaited.

With the visitors missing third second and third penalties, the latter of which was saved by Ashmore, Stuart Lewis had a chance to put his side in a commanding position to go on and win, but hi shot was saved, meaning it all came down to Whitehawk’s Jake Robinson, who needed to score to keep his side in it. Ashmore was the hero yet again though, and he saved the vital spot kick. Stonebridge Road erupted after realising that sealed the result. Ebbsfleet had reached the final.

After Maidstone’s 1-0 win over Truro, Ebbsfleet will face their fellow Kent side in the final on Saturday, when speaking to the press Daryl McMahon explained how his side will be approaching the final “I’m looking forward to it”

“We don’t treat is differently at all to be honest, it’s just a game. It’s 90 minutes. We need to make the same decisions as though it’s the second or third game of the season”

 

Ebbsfleet United: Ashmore, Pooley (Parkes), Howe, Lewis, Acheampong, Clark, Deering (Bonner), Rance, Kedwell, Godden, Cook (Sheringham)

Subs not used: Miles, Shields

Whitehawk: Ross, Sessegnon, Rents, M’Boungou, Rose (Graham), Mendy (Ijaha), Arnold, Torres, Robinson, Mills (Gotta), Martin

Subs not used: Gargan, Fraser