By beating a tough Sutton side, Steve Brown’s Ebbsfleet team were able to beat a long standing club record of 9 wins in a row.

Two goals from Billy Bricknell gave the Fleet yet another three points, beating the club’s record from 1953 to send Ebbsfleet up one place in the Skrill South, leapfrogging their opponents into 3rd position.

The home team kicked off in awful conditions at Stonebridge Road, with torrential rain and swirling winds howling around the ground, it wasn’t going to be easy to record a win to beat the eagerly anticipated record.

Fleet started without Daryl McMahon after he called in with an illness, after Joe Howe’s recent injury he was forced to sit on the bench forcing Steve Brown to put winger Chris Sessegnon at right back.

There was some hope for Ebbsfleet though, Sutton’s team only included four substitutes after a string of injuries hit Paul Doswell’s side.

Sutton’s dangerous attack had the first chance of the game, after some Lee Sawyer was given the ball on the right wing his shot at the near post clipped the bar, leaving Preston Edwards helpless in the Ebbsfleet goal. The England C goalkeeper was lucky to see the ball ping off the woodwork and out of danger.

The weather was a major factor in the game and this was made obvious after Tom Lovelock’s clearance got carried by the horrendous wind, leaving Ebbsfleet’s Anthony Cook with plenty of space but the winger’s shot was too close to Lovelock in Sutton’s goal.

Ebbsfleet’s quick, counter attacking play has been dangerous all season and it was through a quick break that they got their first goal of the afternoon, Billy Bricknell’s low cross was too far from Thalassitis in the penalty area, but some good reactions from Cook kept the ball in play before firing in a cross which was met by Bricknell, the striker’s looping header was enough to give his team the lead.

Sutton should have been level at half time, but Charlie Clough ruined Damien Scannell’s brilliant work on the right wing by sending his effort wide of the goal from inside the six- yard box.

The Fleet continued to create chances, the Sutton defender’s had no clue how to cope with Bricknell and Thalassitis’ early pressure, allowing the two strikers to have many opportunities between them.

As the second half began the weather continued to get worse, forcing both teams to play the ball around on the ground, any high ton passes would make them go wildly askew.

Sutton had another chance to score, after some brilliant quick passing on the edge of the area the ball fell to an unmarked player in the area, but Dean Sinclair’s needlessly powerful shot went into the empty, uncovered stand behind the goal.

With Sutton unable to make their chances count it was the fleet’s turn to have a run of chances, after some great pressure from Michael Thalassitis the Sutton defence panicked, Billy Bricknell pounced on the loose ball before finding the goalkeeper off his line, leaving Ebbsfleet’s top scorer this season to slide the ball past Lovelock.

Ebbsfleet were not content with a two goal lead, two Anthony Cook free kicks nearly gave the fleet a third. His first effort was a cross from the corner of the penalty box. The cross was caught by the wind, sending Lovelock the wrong way before adjusting himself just in time to make the save; the second, however was never going to be saved.

Cook’s second successive free kick was from 30 yards out, after getting helped by the wind the ball rocketed off the crossbar leaving Stonebridge Road speechless.

That was Ebbsfleet’s 9th win in a row, beating the previous club record from over 60 years ago, the Fleet manager, Steve Brown after the game knew how much this meant to the team “it is a huge achievement, the players have turned things around since the start of the season” where the Fleet had a habit of drawing.

“When you look back on your career these are the sort of things you remember, this is a magnificent achievement”.

Anthony Cook was injured in the final few minutes, he was substituted after a late tackle from Craig Dundas. Brown said the injury is not as bad as it looks and the substitution was to make sure nothing happened as a result of the tricky winger going down.

Tom Phipp came on, making his first appearance at Stonebridge Road after a successful loan period at Maidstone.

Ebbsfleet United: Edwards, Sessegnon, Palmer, Corcoran, Lorraine, Sankofa, Osborn, Rance, Thalassitis (May), Bricknell (Long), Cook (Phipp)

Subs not used: Howe, Hall

Booked: Rance, Bricknell

Sutton United: Lovelock, Nelson, Rents, Fuseini, Downer, Clough, Sawyer (Haysman), Sinclair (Williams), Dundas, Scannell (Telfer), Binns

Subs not used: Riviere

Booked: Dundas

Attendance: 774