Ebbsfleet United showed their class against their Kent Neighbours with a great win in front of a record crowd.

The game was only a minute old when Maidstone United nearly scored when a Frannie Collin corner into the area evaded everyone and went out for a goal kick.

That was to be the only scare for Ebbsfleet as they dominated possession and closed Maidstone down.

In the 18^th minute Jordan Parkes was fouled 20 yards out and he picked himself up and saw his effort go just over the bar. Three minutes later Maidstone nearly opened the scoring when a Bobby-Joe Taylor corner found Manny Parry whose goal bound header was cleared off the line by Matt Godden.

Tensions started to manifest in the 31^st minute when a corner into the Ebbsfleet area saw at least 18 players get involved in handbags with both skippers Steve Watt and Tom Bonner booked.

In the 39^th minute a long clearance from Brandon Hall found Danny Kedwell 25 yards out and he controlled it, turned and shot forcing Lee Worgan to make a save.

The goal finally came in the very next minute when Kedwell received the ball out wide on the right and he took Watt on and beat him to the by-line and his cross to the back post saw Godden’s header superbly pushed away by Worgan but only to Parkes who from 5 yards smashed the ball into the net.

The second half started with Maidstone coming out of traps the quickest as in the 48^th minute a Taylor corner in the middle of the area fell loose and Joe Healy pounced on it twisted and turned and saw his shot from 12 yards pushed around the post by Hall.

In the very next minute Callum Driver 25 yards out on the right saw his speculative shot force Hall to tip over the bar.

Ten minutes later Driver’s free kick into the area found Watt whose downward header was deflected past the post for a corner. After soaking up all this pressure Ebbsfleet nearly got a second when Parkes’s free kick to the back post saw Worgan miss it and Kedwell’s header hit the side netting rather than the back of the net.

In the 81^st minute Ebbsfleet secured the three points to maintain their unbeaten start to the season when John-Paul Kissock got to the by-line, looked up and passed to Parkes who from 12 yards slotted in.

In the last minute Maidstone nearly got a consolation goal when a free kick into the area went wide and Healy retrieved it and crossed to the back post where Jay May was but his header hit the post.

The final whistle went and the 250 Ebbsfleet supporters were in full voice as their team had beaten one of their rivals.

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. C.DRIVER  3. T.MILLS  4. S.WATT  5. M.PARRY  6. J.ROGERS (55)  7. M.BODKIN (67)  8. J.HEALY 9. J.MAY 10. F.COLLIN (62) 11. B-J.TAYLOR

SUBS USED:  16. A.BROWN (55) 15. J.PAXMAN (62)  14. A.AKROFI (67)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. J.COYLE  17. M.PINNOCK

BOOKINGS:  4.S.WATT (31)  8. J.HEALY (46)

 

EBBSFLEET UNITED:

1. HALL 2. M.FISH  3. J.HOWE  4. D.RANCE  5. K.CLARK  6. T.BONNER  7. M.GODDEN  (67)  8.  J.PARKES 9. D.KEDWELL 10. J-P KISSOCK 11. R.WILMOTT (82)

SUBS USED: 16. D.HAYNES (67)  15. S.LEWIS (82)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. A.ACHEAMPONG  13 .  J.MILES  14. A.CUNNINGTON

BOOKINGS:  8.J.PARKES (29)  6. T.BONNER (31)

 

REFEREE:  Mr J.AMEY

ASSISTANTS:  Mr S.KAY  & Mr J.MILES

ATTENDANCE: 2,363