Ebbsfleet United won this North Kent Derby comfortably but the scoreline does not tell the real story while Tonbridge Angels even though losing look like they have survived the drop.

The first half started with Tonbridge having a lot of possession but in the 6^th minute Ebbsfleet took the lead when Shaq Coulthirst received the ball in the area & he turned & shot past Jon Henly.

Ebbsfleet with confidence high controlled the game without really causing any problems & then in a rare attack Tonbridge nearly equalised when a long ball forward found Ricky Modeste who went into the area & his shot was half saved by Louis Moulden but came to Joe Turner & his shot was again saved but this time went out for a corner.

Two minutes later a corner to the back post found Sonny Miles but his header went wide. The rest of the half saw both sides probing without causing any real problems & the half time whistle went with Tonbridge still in the game while Ebbsfleet would have to get a second to kill the game off.

The second half started with Ebbsfleet on the attack & in the 48^th minute Dominic Poleon was put through on the left & he went into the area & his shot from an angle was tipped around the post for a corner by Henly.

Two minutes later Joe Martin on the left wing crossed & Coulthirst saw his goal bound shot come back of Poleon. Tonbridge in a rare attack nearly equalised when Moulden miskicked a clearance & Turner latched onto it & passed into the path of Aaron Smith-Joseph but his shot was blocked.

In the 54^th minute Coulthirst was put through in the area & his shot was saved by Henly & then cleared for a corner. In the 63^rd minute Ebbsfleet should have doubled their lead when Rakish Bingham on the edge of the area turned sharply but his shot went wide of the post when it seemed easier to score.

Another chance came in the 75^th minute when Poleon was in on goal but his shot was blocked by Henly but came out to Ben Chapman & his 20 yard shot went wide.

A minute later in another rare attack Tonbridge nearly equalised when a long ball forward saw Adam Coombes outmuscle Sido Jembali & ran into the area & his shot from 12 yards was tipped away by Moulden.

Ebbsfleet had another glorious chance come in the 77^th minute when Poleon running from halfway got to the 18 yard box & passed into the path of Jack Paxman but with Henly rushing out he curled his shot wide.

Tonbridge’s chances were not helped when Substitute Teddy Perkins went off injured leaving them down to ten men for the last ten minutes due to all their substitutes being used. In the 83^rd minute Elliott Romain picked up a clearance & his shot whistled past the post.

The final whistle went & Tonbridge can take the positives out of the game in that it was a better result than last time they played at the start of the season while Ebbsfleet will be troubled by the fact that they did not take any of their numerous chances but now can look forward to the Play-offs.    

       TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. J.HENLY   2. J.FIELDING (70)  3. C.BRAHAM-BARRETT  4. T.BEERE (61)  5. S.MILES  6. T.PARKINSON 7. R.MODESTE (70)  8. D.LOFT  9. J.TAYLOR  10. A.SMITH-JOSEPH  11. J.TURNER

SUBS USED: 12. I.OLUTADE (61)  14. A.COOMBES (70) 17. T.PERKINS (70)  

SUBS NOT USED: 15. J.EMBERY   16. J.O’SULLIVAN

BOOKINGS:  7. R.MODESTE (35)

        EBBSFLEET UNITED:

1. L.MOULDEN   3. J.MARTIN  6. S.JOMBALI  8. C.N’GUESSAN  9. R.BINGHAM  14. D.POLEON 17. C.TANNER (86)   20. C.SOLLY  21. J.PAXMAN(90)  22. B.CHAPMAN  25. S.COULTHIRST (66)

SUBS USED:  19.E.ROMAIN (66)  11. L.MARTIN (86)   26. F.DOMI (90)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. C.HAIH  24. A.FINNEY

BOOKINGS:  8.C.N’GUESSAN (8)  22. B.CHAPMAN (41)  6.S.JOMBALI (85)

REFEREE: Mr S.PARKINSON  

ASSISTANTS: Mr A.MATHIESON & Mr K.DEMPSTER

ATTENDANCE: 1129

Picture supplied by Ebbsfleet United.