Ebbsfleet continued their unbeaten start to their National League South campaign with an impressive 3-1 win over Maidenhead with Matt Godden and Jordan Parkes on the scoresheet.
With the Fleet unbeaten in August, one of only three teams to not lose in the opening month, Daryl McMahon’s squad were able to prepare for the game in high spirits, boosted by their bank holiday weekend derby win over Dartford they found themselves second in the National League South with a game in hand over first placed Bath City.
Their opponents however, also experienced a positive start to the season, losing only one game against Bath, they began the afternoon in fifth, knowing that an away win would send them above Ebbsfleet in the table.
McMahon only made one change from the win at Dartford, with Dean Rance’s suspension as a result of his red card in the derby not beginning until his team’s game against Sutton on the 15th of September, John Paul Kissock took the place of Robbie Willmott, seeming to leave Danny Kedwell up front on his own with five midfielders in support.
Within just one minute it was the visitors who had the opening opportunity of the game, after Kenny Clark’s clearance was blocked by Ben Wright the attacker put a left sided cross into the area, before seeing it cleared into the path of Dave Tarpey, but the right sided midfielder’s effort was pushed wide by Brandon Hall.
Despite the Fleet maintaining possession well as the half went on, Maidenhead continued to push for more chances and, with fifteen minutes on the clock, Hall could only watch as Kieran Forbes’ volley rolled inches wide of his goal.
As Ebbsfleet continued to grow into the game they began to create good opportunities for themselves, this culminated in the 18th minutes when a floated free kick from Jordan Parkes towards the far post was volleyed across the goalkeeper by Matt Godden, giving his side a one goal lead with his second goal of the season.
The visitor’s pressure continued, however and it took a fantastic double save from Brandon Hall to deny a quick equaliser, after tipping Ben Wright’s free kick wide of the post the goalkeeper threw his body in front of James Mulley’s close range effort to maintain his side’s one goal lead. From the resulting Ebbsfleet counter attack John Paul Kissock found Matt Godden, allowing the attacking wide midfielder to turn and force a save from Carl Pentney.
With just over thirty minutes gone Ebbsfleet’s possession based dominance was rewarded with a second goal when Godden found Matt Fish with an overlapping run before the right back whipped a cross into the path of Jordan Parkes, allowing the influential midfielder to add to his assist with a goal of his own as he finished the move with a composed finish. Despite continuing to control the game with a quick, flowing passing game the hosts were unable to find a third goal before half time, meaning they went into the changing rooms with a two goal lead.
Looking for a way back into the game, the magpies started the second half quickly and forced Brandon Hall into a low save when Sam Barrett’s left footed effort was pushed away by the goalkeeper.
With just over ten minutes gone in the second half, Maidenhead worked their way back into the game thanks to a clinical finish from Dave Tarpey after a through ball form Kieran Forbes allowed the wide midfielder time and space to fire a shot inside Brandon Hall’s near post.
This momentum carried on into the next attack from the Magpies but Kenny Clark, fresh from having his shoulder treated for an injury, was able to clear Tarpey’s cross from the right wing and soon after Tarpey had another chance of his own, only to watch his shot fly over.
If Maidenhead learned one thing from the first half, it’s that their hosts are capable of scoring out of nowhere and this was seen again in the second half when Jordan Parkes’ free kick was met by Matt Godden and the latter’s glancing header nestled into the bottom corner, allowing Ebbsfleet to regain their two goal lead. Both players were quickly substituted after they linked up yet again for a goal.
Substitutes Danny Haynes, Robbie Willmott and Adam Cunnington continued the pressure for the hosts, but Maidenhead’s defence stood firm, keeping the Fleet’s lead at two as they played the game out, giving McMahon’s side another three points.
The Fleet manager was quick to praise his side’s style of play despite Maidenhead’s early pressure “Once we got the ball down and started passing it I think we effected their shape. We played some really good football”
“We always look to pass it around and keep it on the floor when we can, this season we’ve been looking to dominate the ball ad we did that in the first half, and most of the second as well”
Those points, along with Bath City’s 0-0 draw against Dartford, mean that Ebbsfleet are now just one point behind the league leaders as they now prepare for a trip to winless Margate.
Ebbsfleet United: Hall, Fish, Howe, Lewis, Clark, Bonner, Rance, Parkes (Haynes), Kedwell (Cunnington), Godden (Willmott), Kissock
Subs not used: Acheampong, Miles
Maidenhead United: Pentney, Nisbet, Forbes, Upward (Walters), Massey, Inman, Tarpey, Mulley (Jenkinson), Reid (Barrett), Wright, Pritchard
Subs not used: Ferguson, Steer
Referee: Mr C Brook
Assistants: Mr S Williams, Mr S Brown
Attendance: 1,016