Ebbsfleet United are through to the next round of the FA Trophy in what Daryl McMahon described as a scrappy affair but was pleased that they don’t have to go to Eastleigh on Tuesday when Myles Weston scored the winner in added on time to lead the majority of the crowd in raptures.

The game was scrappy but both teams can be congratulated on having a go even if the standard was not brilliant.

Both sides had chances as it went from one end to the other. Ebbsfleet had the first chance & possibly should have scored when Jack Powell put Danny Kedwell through & he ran on into the area going round Graham Stack but from an acute angle his shot went across the goal for a goal kick.

Two minutes later Gavin Hoyte saw his cross to the back post headed goal wards by Chris Zebroski but easily saved by Nathan Ashmore.

In the 23^rd minute Ebbsfleet nearly scored when a Chris Bush long throw into the area was back flicked by Kedwell but ended up on the top netting.

Ebbsfleet had a half chance in the 28^th minute when Powell tried his luck from 20 yards with his shot going through a crowded area but Stack saved it.

Two minutes later Zebroski latched onto a long ball & then from 18 yards saw his shot parried away by Ashmore.

Eastleigh could not believe they hadn’t scored in the 36^th minute when Paul McCallum passed to Zebroski 5 yards out & he turned & shot but Ashmore blocked it.

In the 2^nd minute of added on time a Powell corner found Bush but his flicked header went past the post.

The first 10 minutes of the second half saw Ebbsfleet take the game to Eastleigh as in the 48^th minute Myles Weston on the left crossed to the back post for Luke Coulson who knocked it back into the path of Kedwell but his shot went wide, then in the 54^th minute a corner into the area saw Sam Magri head just wide.

In the 55^th minute Eastleigh had a half chance to score when Bradley Odoi- Hudson latched onto a long ball went forward jinking in & out before shooting but unfortunately for him it took a deflection for a corner.

This woke Eastleigh up & for the next period of the game they were the most dangerous as in the 71^st minute Hoyte down the left wing crossed to the near post where Zebroski’s flicked header went just past the post, in the very next minute Ashmore saved the day when a free kick into the area saw the ball bounce around & then McCallum’s snapshot from 5 yards was superbly saved by Ashmore.

In the 78^th minute Ebbsfleet took the lead when Sean Shields on the left wing got to the by-line & his low cross evaded everyone except Kedwell on the far post & he cut in & hammered it home from 8 yards.

Three minutes later the ground went silent when Eastleigh equalised, Mark Yeates on the left wing crossed into the area where Cavaghn Miley rose & his flicked header beat Ashmore.

Time was running out for both sides as they tried to get the winner, then in the 1^st minute of added on time Weston on the right received the ball & cut inside & from 20 yards his shot beat Stack.

A couple of minutes later the Referee blew his whistle & Ebbsfleet march on to Wembley waiting to hear who they will get in Monday’s draw.

 

EBBSFLEET UNITED:

1. N.ASHMORE 5. D.WINFIELD  6.K.CLARK  7. J.POWELL  8. A.DRURY  9. D.KEDWELL  11. M.WESTON  17. S.SHIELDS 24. S.MAGRI 25. L.COULSON (76) 26. C.BUSH (76).

SUBS USED:  3. J.CONNORS (76)   4. D.RANCE (76)

SUBS NOT USED: 2. M.McCOY  10. A.McCLEAN  13. J.MILES

BOOKINGS: NONE

 

EASTLEIGH:

1. G.STACK 2. G.HOUTE  7. S.WOOD  9. P.McCALLUM   11. C.ZEBROSKI (85)  17. B.ODOI-HUDSON (66)  19. D.HOLLANDS (88) 22. A.BOYCE 24. C.MILEY 26. S.MATTHEWS   27. C.HOWE.

SUBS USED:  10. M.YEATES (66)  8.J.CONSTABLE (85)

SUBS NOT USED:    15. A.OBILEYE  23. H.READ  30 F.SHAW

BOOKINGS:  27. C.HOWE (51)  19. D.HOLLANDS (88)  24. C.MILEY (89)

 

REFEREE: Mr. D. ROCK

ASSISTANTS: Mr . L.GRIMSEY   &  Mr. B.GILL

4^th OFFICIAL: Mr.  T.FELL

ATTENDANCE: 733

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.