Playing for the honour of taking ball number 79 into Monday night’s draw for the FA Cup First Round Proper, Ryman Premier Merstham pulled off arguably the shock of the round by beating Vanarama South Ebbsfleet United two-one.

Ebbsfleet’s manager, Daryl McMahon, said “we weren’t good enough today” as his side hit the front after only 10 minutes, but rarely stretched home keeper Phil Wilson thereafter.  Merstham got into the game after 26 with skipper Tom Kavanagh curling a shot into the left corner and, despite missing a penalty, scored the decisive goal three minutes before the interval through Charlie Penny to move into the Competition Proper for the first time; although Ebbsfleet will still be questioning its validity.

McMahon added “I don’t think we were in control.  First half, we were not good, and our goal probably glossed over the performance.  It certainly wasn’t the standard we’ve been showing for the last 6 or 7 weeks.  We were poor, below par, lacking intensity and energy, and that’s what we have been good at.  I wasn’t happy at half-time as this is a prestigious competition, and second half we got slightly better.”

“Sometimes when you’re playing a team in the league below it means more to them, but it shouldn’t.  Maybe today, they wanted a little bit more, and we were hoping someone would produce that bit of magic, but it didn’t happen.  I feel for the coachloads of supporters today because performances like that catch you by surprise.  They defended well, put their bodies on the line and good luck to them.”

With regard to the two main talking points, Merstham’s penalty and second goal, McMahon explained that “from where I was the goal looked to be handball, while the guy has just kicked the ball off the pitch on the penalty.  But I won’t criticise the officials or look for excuses, that’s not me.  We just were not good enough.”

As would be expected from a side 35 places higher in the pyramid, Ebbsfleet looked to impose themselves on the game from the start, moving the ball at speed, but it was Merstham who had the clearer chances.  Marc Okoye headed over from a corner and Alex Addai showed good pace on the right to put a low ball into the box, but Reece Hall sliced his shot horribly wide.

Soon though, the quicker movement and passing of the Ebbsfleet players started to pay dividends.  Sam Deering and Danny Kedwell combined on the right side for the latter to put a dangerous cross into the middle.  Merstham’s defence struggled to clear, with a deflection falling to Anthony Cook, whose shot was well parried by Phil Wilson.

Ebbsfleet went ahead after 10 minutes, through a classic counter-attacking goal.  A clearing header from Dave Winfield was touched on by Stuart Lewis for Kedwell to flick first time with the outside of his right foot.  Okoye could only get a glancing header on the ball through, which took it into the path of Darren McQueen, who rounded Phil Wilson and slotted home into the empty net for his ninth goal of the season.

Deering weaved and turned inside the Merstham box trying to create a second, but was eventually denied by Antone Douglas’s block, and at that stage it looked as though the second goal was just a matter of time.

However, on 26, the home side levelled completely against the run of play.  For once, Ebbsfleet’s midfield sat off as Michael Abnett raided forward on the right.  His pass inside to Tom Kavanagh allowed the midfielder to let the ball run onto his left foot and he unleashed a curling effort from all of 25 yards that defeated Nathan Ashmore’s dive.

Less than 120 seconds later, and it could have been two for Merstham as Ashmore and the willing Charlie Penny clashed inside the area, with Mr Laver, the referee, pointing to the spot.  Former Welling midfielder, Xavier Vidal, tried to deceive Ashmore with a stuttering run up, but the keeper plunged to his left to parry the penalty away.

Kedwell and Deering almost combined again, with the former’s cross more hitting Deering and going wide, but it was the hosts who hit the front before half-time.

A cynical foul on the left earned Stuart Lewis a booking.  Vidal swung the freekick to the back post, where Okoye headed back across goal, for the diving Penny to convert from close range.  The Ebbsfleet players immediately took off in pursuit of the officials claiming the use of an arm, but the goal stood.

Penny, who had been a thorn in the side of all of the Ebbsfleet back three, had to be withdrawn before the interval due to an injury.  But from the freekick that resulted, Kristian Campbell’s effort was deflected by the wall over the bar.

Without the focal point of their attack, Penny, Merstham struggled to find the same intensity as the first half, although Omar Folkes ran and ran to apply pressure.  Hall fired an early shot across the Ebbsfleet goal, but as the rain started, and the tackling became more frenetic, there was little else to trouble either keeper.

Into the last 20 minutes, and finally a sight of goal for the visitors. Cook’s delivery from the left wing was met by the head of Winfield inside the 6-yard box, but the header was directed past the left post.  Bradley Bubb then had a chance having spun past Okoye on the edge of the box, but the giant defender managed to recover to get a deflection on Bubb’s shot.

Dean Rance, who did provide some solidity to the Ebbsfleet midfield when he came on at half-time, tried his luck from long range, but only tested out the netting above the stand containing the 3 coaches-worth of Ebbsfleet supporters.

Okoye was possibly fortunate not to see a second yellow card for a clumsy foul on the edge of the box; Kedwell’s powerful free-kick deflecting off a sturdy wall, but the best chance was yet to come.  A diagonal cross from Jack Connors was redirected back into the middle by Bubb’s head, and Charlie Sheringham directed his own header goalwards, only for Wilson to somehow get an arm in the way to deny the Ebbsfleet substitute.

Ebbsfleet continued to throw everything at their opponents, but a late cross from Connors, headed back across goal by Kedwell, summed up their afternoon, as there was no-one in a red shirt to take advantage of the chance.

McMahon said that be wouldn’t be watching the draw on Monday night, and many Ebbsfleet fans will probably be following suit.  But he did wish Merstham well, finishing with “good luck to Merstham in the next round.  On their first half showing they deserved to win the game.  We’ve had all the plaudits recently, but we have to take this on the chin and come back next week.”

MERSTHAM: Phil Wilson, Michael Abnett, Kristian Campbell, Kershaeay Samuels, Marc Okoye, Antone Douglas, Xavier Vidal, Tom Kavanagh, Alex Addai (Dan Bennett 69), Charlie Penny (Omar Folkes 45+2), Reece Hall (Tutu Henriques 62).

Subs not used: Arron Hopkinson, Dan Hector, Dan Hogan.

Goals: Tom Kavanagh 26, Charlie Penny 42.

Cautions: Marc Okoye 53, Alex Addai 58, Michael Abnett 70, Tom Kavanagh 86

EBBSFLEET UNITED: Nathan Ashmore, Anthony Cook (Bradley Bubb 75), Jack Connors, Mark Philllips, Dave Winfield, Marvin McCoy, Stuart Lewis, Sam Deering (Charlie Sheringham 82), Danny Kedwell, Darren McQueen, Jack Powell (Dean Rance 46)

Subs not used: Jonathan Miles, Reiss Greenidge, Ollie Boulding, Karn Miller-Neave