Ebbsfleet bowed out of the F.A.Cup against Basingstoke but will be wondering how as they dominated possession & created the better chances but Basingstoke came with a game plan & it worked especially with Stuart Moore in fine form.

The game started with Ebbsfleet on the front foot as in the 5^th minute Matt Johnson found himself 15 yards out on his own & his shot was parried away by Moore but only to Billy Bricknell who smashed his shot against the crossbar when it seemed easier to score but to save face he was given offside.

Two minutes later a Johnson long throw into the area was half cleared to Joe Howe who from 20 yards dummied to shoot then did but it went over the bar. Another long throw by Johnson in the 11^th minute went into the area avoiding everyone & went out for a goal kick & in the very next minute Bricknell received the ball went forward & his shot from 20 yards was pushed over the bar by Moore.

In the 19^th minute some quick thinking by Daryl McMahaon when he took a free kick in his own half by switching play to Anthony Cook who on the left wing cut inside & saw his curling shot go just past the far post.

By now Ebbsfleet were in complete control & it just needed a goal, in the 23^rd minute nice inter play by Bricknell & Charlie Sheringham to release Johnson on the right & his cross to the back post forced Nathan Smart to head into the side netting, from the resulting corner by McMahon into Anthony Acheampong whose header towards goal found Sheringham who swivelled & his shot from 6 yards was saved by Moore’s legs.

Three minutes later Moore’s legs came to the rescue again when he saved McMahon’s free kick. Another chance came in the 29^th minute when Sheringham latched onto a rebound & his shot from 20 yards went just past the post. Ebbsfleet’s had another chance go a begging when in the 36^th minute a McMahon free kick into the area found Johnson & his flicked header was pushed away by Moore for a corner & from the resulting corner Shane Huke headed over the bar.

The goal nearly came in the 40^th minute when McMahon’s free kick curled round the wall but came back off the post/crossbar beating Moore.

In the 42^nd minute Basingstoke had their first real chance when Chris Flood saw his free kick pushed away by Brandon Hall for a corner & from the resulting corner Jamie Brown saw his header instinctly palmed away by Hall.

Half time arrived & most people were wondering how Ebbsfleet had not scored or taken the game away from Basingstoke, it would be interesting to hear both managers team talk.

The second half started like the first with Ebbsfleet in charge & in the 47^th minute Bricknell in the area saw his shot instinctly saved by Moore & then in the 50^th minute McMahon saw his shot fly past the post.

Ebbsfleet finally got the goal their dominance deserved when in the 52^nd minute Cook on the left wing crossed to the near post where Bricknell was & his header was superbly saved by Moore but it went sideways & Sheringham like all good strikers pounced on it & headed in from 2 yards even though Moore made a valiant effort to keep it out.

Ebbsfleet continued to control the game & in the 65^th minute Cook on the left wing cut inside & his chipped effort saw Moore again save it & concede a corner.

In the 71^st minute Ebbsfleet should have wrapped the game up when Sheringham  put Bricknell in on the right wing & his sideways pass found McMahon who passed to Cook instead of shooting himself & Cook’s shot was blocked it seemed as if they wanted to walk the ball in.

Basingstoke remarkably got back into the game in the very next minute when a long ball forward found Flood who from 25 yards volleyed into the net leaving Hall grasping at thin air.

Ebbsfleet had a chance to get back in front when Cook on the left passed to Bricknell in the area but his side foot shot went wide. Five minutes later Matt Godden on the right went forward & his shot from 20 yards was pushed away by Moore.

In the 83^rd minute disaster struck for Ebbsfleet as Basingstoke went in front, Tom Bird on the edge of the area crossed into the area where Liam Enver-Marum (ex Ebbsfleet you could not make the headline up) was & his flicked header beat Hall. Moore had to make one more save when Joe Howe saw his shot from 20 yards pushed away then just to compound the day Howe was sent off in the 90^th minute when a breakaway saw Howe react slow & as George Hallaman got to the ball & flicked it on Howe came in & clattered him to the floor.

The final whistle went & the Ebbsfleet players came off stunned & the Basingstoke players celebrated as if they had won the whole competition but they really had to thank their keeper Stuart Moore who had a Man of the Match performance.

 

EBBSFLEET UNITED:

1. HALL 2. J.HOWE  3. A.PALMER  4. D.McMAHON  5. A.ACHEAMPONG  6. S.HUKE  7. M.JOHNSON (76)
2. D.RANCE 9. C.SHERINGHAM  10. B.BRICKNELL  11. A.COOK

SUBS USED: 16. M.GODDEN (76)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. K.CLARK  13. P.EDWARDS  14. M.CORCORAN  15. C.SESSEGNON

7. J.SANDERSON 18. L.MAZZONE

BOOKINGS: 11. A.COOK (50)  8. D.RANCE (80)

SENT OFF: 2. J.HOWE (90)

 

BASINGSTOKE TOWN:

1. MOORE 2. N.SMART (45)  3. T.BIRD  4. L.SOARES  5. J.GASSON  6. D.RAY  7. J.BROWN
2. S.McAULEY 9. L.ENVER-MARUM  10. C.FLOOD  11. A.JENKINSON (67)

SUBS USED: 12. R.RICE (45)  16. G.HALLAMAN (67)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. S.ARGENT  15. L.MACKLIN  17. W.JONES  18. G.VAWAKE  19. McAUWE STUBBS

 

REFEREE: Mr A..da COSTA

ASSISTANTS: Mr S.FRANKLIN & Mr J.WHITTAKER

ATTENDANCE: 953