Ebbsfleet United crashed to the foot of the National League as a goal either side of half time from an old boy sealed for Harrogate Town their third win in a row as they continued their climb up the National League table and sent the Fleet bottom.

Brendan Kiernan was the match winner and left Garry Hill’s side rooted to the foot of the table as they changed places with Chorley who themselves earned a point in the 3:00 kick offs with a goal-less draw with Aldershot.

For the second week in a row, the county was featured in BT Sport’s live Saturday tea-time game, but for the second week in a row, the cameras recorded a two nil Kent defeat!

Harrogate started brightly and as early as the third minute keeper Jordan Holmes raced from his line to brilliantly deny Jack Muldoon on the very edge of the box after Alfie Egan’s suicidal back pass fell so short of his keeper.  The home side then went close again when a left wing cross presented chances to Muldoon and Mark Beck, but the Fleet goal just about remained intact! 

The home side were in front five minutes from half time when Kiernan produced a composed finish as he raced onto Alex Bradley’s delicate through ball – Kiernan raced on and rounded the exposed keeper with ease.

The Fleet left the dressing room with manager Hill’s words of wisdom ringing in their ears and within two minutes from a Myles Weston corner Alex Read’s effort was forced off the Harrogate goal-line.

Ironically from another good Fleet effort, the home side doubled their lead.  Frankie Sutherland let fly from twenty-five yards and beat a flying James Belshaw in the home goal.  Sadly, for Ebbsfleet, the ball also beat the right post with just inches to spare. 

From the goal kick, Maldoon found Ryan Fallowfield and his cross cum shot was defected and it was Kiernan who reacted quickest and was able to steer the ball into the net to undo all the good work the visitors had achieved since the break. 

And what will hurt Garry Hill most is that, despite having the possession, the Fleet just didn’t work home keeper Belshaw at all and as the half wore on. More and more heads in red shirts went down and didn’t come back up again, and the spirit and determination that his side showed in their recent win over Barnet simply wasn’t enough to see them through in North Yorkshire when his side didn’t create enough in front of goal. 

On this display, the Fleet need for the ball to start running for them – even if they need a piece of luck – and where better for that to start than in the next week with a home double header of Torquay United on Tuesday before Maidenhead United come to Kent in a weeks’ time.

HARROGATE TOWN – James Belshaw, George Smith, Will Smith, Josh Falkingham, Ryan Fallowfield, Connor Hull, Warren Burrell, Brendon Kiernan (Jack Diamond 85), Alex Bradley, Mark Beck, Jack Muldoon

Subs – Jack Emmett, Joe Cracknell, Jon Stead, Scott Brown

EBBSFLEET UNITED – Jordan Holmes, Tyler Cordner, Jamie Grimes, Alfie Egan (Oluwatomisin Adeloye 67), Lawrie Wilson, Jack King, Myles Weston, Frankie Sutherland (Stephen Obileye 78), Josh Payne, Ugwu Chigozie, Alex Reid

Subs – Matthew Achuba, Botti Biabi, Jonathan Miles

REFEREE – Mr Richardson