Saturday 29th August 2015 @3pm
National League South Division
EBBSFLEET UNITED 2-2 WHITEHAWK
Stonebridge Road, Northfleet.
Admission: £11
Programme: £3 (A5, 44 pages)
Attendance: 972
Refreshments: Guinness £3.80. Bovril £1.20. Snickers 70p.
With my chosen game being switched to Sunday and restricted
to a match within an hours drive I settled for Ebbsfleet as the M25 was at a
near standstill from the Dartford Crossing to Junction 4. Pre match was spent in the Blackfen Pie &
Mash shop where my family noshed on the best found in North Kent. The ground hasn’t yet changed but plans are
now approved by Gravesham Council to completely renovate the stadium which is
likely to start sometime in 2016.
The match was played with both sides looking to pass the
ball around and unfortunately, we had a referee insisting on blowing his
whistle on every minor incident and he didn’t let the game flow or playing any
advantages. The first 20 minutes had Ebbsfleet enjoying the majority of
possession but the slow build-up allowed Whitehawk to defend in numbers and
limiting the home side to half chances throughout the half. The match turned halfway through the first
half when a rare foray into the Ebbsfleet area by the visiting right back
prompted the defender to make a lunge which the linesman gave as a foul.
However from the other 3 sides of the ground it was one of those obvious dives
that a forward leaves a trailing leg to find the opponent then makes a
theatrical race for the grass. Justice
was done in the short term as the penalty was saved and resulted in a corner. However a goalmouth scramble from the said
corner ended up with the ball being stabbed into the net from close range from
Ijaha. This decision had shook up the
home side and they struggled for the rest of the half. Inevitably after another poorly taken corner kick
was cleared by Whitehawk, a quick counter attack involving 4 players one touch
football allowed Deering to convert from 20 yards.
The manager McMahon made a brave double substitution at half
time. Bringing off the flair midfielders Parkes and Kissock and replacing them
with the pacey Haynes and Godden. In a
second half completely dominated by Ebbsfleet, it took 10 minutes to half the
deficit when a through ball was met by Godden who shot beyond the keeper from
15 yards. With the noise level raised
from the supporters the home team got back on level terms when a Godden cross
found fellow sub Haynes on the far post to convert with 10 minute left. They went for the win but ultimately ran out
of time in what was an exciting second half of football. Both teams should be in the top 5 come the
end of the season.
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