Two late goals from Robbie Willmott continued Ebbsfleet United’s good pre-season form at Tonbridge Angels on Tuesday night.
Daryl McMahon began just two of his new summer signings with Johnathan Miles starting in goal with Craig Braham-Barrett at left back. They came up against a number of ex- Fleet players with James Folkes and Nathan Elder in the Angels’ starting eleven whilst Tom Phipp began on the bench.
It was Elder who looked the most dangerous in the opening stages of the game with neither Anthony Acheampong or Kenny Clark able to prevent his aerial threat, forcing Miles to make a series of saves for the visitors before the striker saw another attempt cleared off the line.
It wasn’t all Tonbridge however, as soon after a long ball towards Adam Cunnington who flicked the ball into the path of Matt Godden, but the player who has spent most of his second stint with Ebbsfleet on the wing, could only watch as his half volley was acrobatically tipped over by Anthony Di Bernado.
Very few chances came in the latter stages of the first half, allowing both managers to make a number of changes. This fell in favour of McMahon and his Ebbsfleet side who, after bringing on Paul Kissock in a holding role and Jordan Parkes behind the strikers, was able to control the midfield.
This turned out to be the difference between the sides when, with only five minutes remaining a ball from Parkes clipped a cross towards Willmott- another substitute- to head the ball home.
Parkes was involved in his side’s second goal just five minutes after when he put a pass across to Alex Osborn on the right wing who quickly put a low pass into the feet of Willmott who hit a low, powerful effort across Di Bernado’s goal, doubling the visitor’s lead seconds before the final whistle blew.
Tonbridge, who are preparing for their second season back in the Ryman Premier Division, have two more friendlies before the start of the season when Fisher FC come to Longmead Stadiumbefore they travel to Dorking Wanderers on the first of August.
That win for Ebbsfleet maintains their 100% record in preseason as they look to challenge for promotion back to the National League Premier, they still have three warm up games to play when they travel to Billericay and Boreham Wood before Braintree Town come to Stonebridge Road.
Tonbridge Angels: Di Bernado, Folkes, Parter, Carey (Phipp), Miles, Ball, Webster (Otobo), Parkinson, Elder (Ramadan), Whitnell, Wheeler (Blewden)
Subs not used: Pearson, Slocombe, Milham
Ebbsfleet United: Miles, Howe, Braham-Barrett (Fish), Johnson (Kissock), Acheampong, Clark (Bonner), Godden (Willmott), S Lewis (Parkes), Cunnington (Kedwell), Rance, Shields (Osborn)
Sub not used: Hall