The Fleet were hit for six in a second-half Solihull blitz after both sides had been reduced to 10 men before the break and the visitors did all the damage by scoring four in 12 minutes.

There was a new face announced before kick-off with Salford City’s Jez Davies taking his place on the bench after joining on loan and the 20-year-old made an early debut but was the man dismissed for the Fleet in that first-half.

Ebbsfleet started the better and Toby Edser broke through on goal inside the first few minutes to slot a ball towards Jephte Tanga but a sliding tackle from James Clarke put the ball out. Aaron Cosgrave had a chance of his own moments later with an effort from the edge of the area.

But after that tackle, Clarke was involved in the game’s first talking point on five minutes. Battling with Kwame Thomas for a ball in midfield, the Moors defender’s boot was very high and caught Thomas full in the face. Although the visitors claimed he was playing the ball, referee Paul Johnson reached straight for his pocket and Clarke was off as Thomas received lengthy treatment. 

The Fleet dominated the rest of the half with the man advantage, Solihull very rarely getting any time in the home side’s half and with all outfield players camped in the yellow half for lengthy spells. Fleet carved out several opportunities with Thomas firing a shot low that was blocked and Jim Kellermann so near to the rebound before goalkeeper Laurie Walker gathered. 

Cosgrave’s speed was a match for the visiting defence but they were disciplined and for all the chances around the Moors goal, the target remained out of reach. Without a striker option on the bench, Fleet lost Thomas to his earlier head injury on 26 minutes and Davies took up an advanced position with Cosgrave and Tanga but Solihull kept their shape.

Cosgrave was just wide with another chance and Anthony Stewart looped a header just over but the advantage Fleet enjoyed was cancelled out two minutes before half-time when Davies’ tackle on Solihull skipper Jamey Osborne had the referee reaching as quickly as he could for his pocket to even up the numbers.

Cosgrave deserved a goal early in the second-half after an excellent battle for the ball that saw him clear of two Moors midfielders and he ran half the pitch to whip a shot just wide. But that was as good as it got as Solihull took control moments later.

Their first came on 50 minutes when Osborne’s free-kick was deflected in by Stewart and three minutes later, Michael Adu-Poku got away down the right and fired off a shot that beat Mark Cousins and went in off the post.

Two became three on 58 minutes when Conor Wilkinson ran through to pick his spot and the same player made it 4-0 two minutes later, finding the space he needed to get sight of the target.

Ben Chapman went over in the penalty area on 65 minutes to hand Fleet the chance for a consolation but Cosgrave’s kick to Walker’s left was gathered by the goalkeeper.

The powerful Adu-Poku set up number five, and Wilkinson’s hat-trick, on 73 minutes and the game ebbed to its conclusion over the next 20 minutes until Sam Bowen swept home number six in time added on.

EUFC: Cousins, Kane, Stewart, Cordner, Chapman, Wright (Tanner 70, Wakely 81), Kellermann, Edser (Fonguck 58), Tanga, Cosgrave, Thomas (Davies 26). Subs not used: John, Dallison, Berry
SBFC: Walker, Clarke, Newton, Osborne, Whitmore, Stevens (Tipton 62), Bowen, Wilkinson (Gale 77), Oakley, Stevenson (Morrison 10), Adu-Poku (Bostock 86). Subs not used: Warburton, Howell, Flahavan
Attendance: 1,664.

Images courtesy of Dave Plumb/EUFC