Ebbsfleet United 0 Stockport County 1 ( Vanarama National League ) 29 February 2020

What a pleasure……what an absolute pleasure !

Yes………….the game was refereed immaculately today by Lloyd Wood who was spot on throughout !

This allowed County to do their work  unhindered by unnecessary distractions, and with their back line marshalled to perfection by Palmer and Hogan, and the midfield engine well taken care of by Keano and Sam Walker who played particularly well ,I thought, in this his 100^th game in a County shirt, their energy and determination received the reward it deserved when Palmer`s header caressed the wet netting behind keeper Jordan Holmes` back!

 

Sam Walker in top nick !

Elsewhere for County , Lloyd again shone on the coldest of Kentish afternoons, once more deserving of rather more from the game than he got- no worries Danny will nick a good few and make a few more , and you all know it!

2 on Lloyd as per ( Andrew Machin )

 Every one else in white put in a shift too!
 

Lloyd- the top notch mix as before !

There were over 1000 inside the Kuflink Stadium which was looking a picture as the sun pretended to show an interest in proceedings as we arrived.
 

The Old Stand ( Andrew Machin )

I had heard that the stadium had had a refurb and it had . The old main stand was still there ,and pretty full, but a spanking new  stand now stood opposite it .

What was immediately appealing was the fact that Ebbsfleet had elected to not segregate the crowd, a move I applaud loudly- I hope that their cash tills did good business – they deserve it, and it was simply terrific to glance to my right in the first half to see and hear two sets of fans , one County one Fleet loudly supporting their teams….under the same roof within inches of each other!

 

and there the County fans are ( Andrew Machin )

Let`s have more of this from clubs please- well done Ebbsfleet!

Jackson for Thomas was the only County change as the saintly Mr Wood set the game in motion with Fleet on the attack. John Goddard was prominent early on for our hosts, but despite getting forward and winning an early corner, Fleet could do no better.

It was not long before County replied, McAlinden seeing a shot blocked after much good work by Minihan and Osborne in the build up.

 

Minihan on the ball early.

Danny Lloyd showed next forcing a corner off Jack King, but this came to nothing allowing Jermain McGlashan to run the ball up the park. Unfortunately for County`s opponents he then ran out of ideas and the moment was gone- something of a recurring theme thereafter for Fleet.

Early pressure from Fleet..

If the weather was cold, the game was shaping up nicely and County underlined the `end to end` nature of it as Jackson`s forward run ended with Holmes beating out the shot that followed.
 

Jackson shoots.

Beyond 10 minutes it went with Hinchliffe in action holding onto a routine effort from Goddard, who was to shoot wide within a minute of this- an indication that County had a game on their hands.
 

Ebbsfleet press ( Andrew Machin )

Meanwhile under the roof of the covered terrace behind me , I could hear both sets of supporters giving their best, and it really was very good stuff!

Things got a tad less agreeable next as Walker got a word or two from Referee Wood for a perceived indiscretion, that I did not clock. Ebbsfleet got a free kick , and a modicum of encouragement as Josh Paine had a shot charged down by Hogan, and Gozie Ugwu  saw his effort deflected for a corner.

Fleet flattered to deceive from this, Cowan eventually clearing his lines after Hinchliffe had punched out under pressure.

We were 20 minutes into the game now, and Fleet probably were shading the attacking , and during one such foray Ugwu went down in the box under pressure. I have seen referees react badly in similar circumstances, and the locals were on Mr Wood`s case loudly, but he waved penalty appeals away with reassuring assurance- fine refereeing!

Jackson and Lloyd then set about pressurizing the home defence, doing well, but Ben`s shot on the end of it was  headed out by Lawrie Wilson.

Lloyd and posse ( Andrew Machin )

Ugwu successfully won a free kick next , but again the delivery by Goddard had nothing threatening about it, and Osborne was able to work the ball clear without issue.

Osborne and company.

From this , County were able to put Fleet under some consistent pressure, Lloyd`s trickery particularly helpful in this respect. Keano was in there too insisting on keeping the attack going, the wave of attacks ending when Holmes clung onto  Minihan`s shot firmly.

Shot from Minihan

Again the game swung, with Josh Umerah in behind the County back line. But…..having done the hard bit , it all went a bit awry and Cowan was in there to clear as a result.

But ….the pressure came back on the white shirted blues, and Keane did really well to block Ugwu, denying him the room to get a shot off when it counted!

 

Keano....

There then followed a period of County pressure that would not have been flattered by at least one goal.

Walker certainly deserved one, on 36 minutes, but his shot was pushed around the post by the diving keeper – County raining in shot after shot from the resultant corner with not one scintilla of good fortune!

 

Sam`s the man !

It was still 0-0 !

The County surge continued though- McAlinden unfortunate to see his shot charged down, and Walker more so as another screamer from him thundered into the crossbar with Holmes  beaten. Multiple shots went close but not close enough, before the siege ended when Lloyd`s shot on the turn carried the bar.

Terrific from Sam ( Andrew Machin )

Lloyd was then  just kept from McAlinden`s pass in front of goal for County  , Hogan doing the necessary at the other end to deny Ugwu underlining how even the game was still.
 

Hogan...on it ( Andrew Machin )

Ugwu went close shortly after, his angst continuing as he headed over from close in.

So….Fleet could have…..possibly should have done better but could County punish them for that?

We would see, but meanwhile in what remained of the first half Osborne saw Holmes see a shot of his off confidently, and another Exocet from Walker was urgently hurried over the bar by the same player.
 

Sam`s shot saved brilliantly by Holmes ( Andrew Machin )

It was half time, and( cliché alert) there was all to play for in the next 45 minutes.
Now some crowd shots:-

Now some from Andrew Machin :-

There are some more crowd shots later in the report:.............










The game re-started with Jackson`s run and pass to Osborne, and a good  parry by the keeper to keep the shot out, prior to it being run clear by Mc Glashan.

The cross/ the shot

Hinchliffe had work to do not long after doing good work to deny Umerah.

The 48^th minute saw Walker in with a shooting chance , but this one was caught by an impish wind and lifted over the bar.
 

Still no luck for Sam !

Both sides had their moments following this, Walker and Lloyd the prime movers in much that emanated from County, but luck was in short supply.
 

Lloyd- irrepressible !

Hurricane Herbert was now supplemented by some  disagreeably unfathomable wet stuff ….was it rain…sleet….probably a mix of the two and it was being hurled down upon a resolute band of County supporters who remained on the open terrace, singing loudly and heroically!

I could just see through the gloom etc, that Hinchliffe had pulled off a decent stop to deny Goddard.

Soon we were beyond the hour and Turnbull was on for Osborne, Bell replacing McAlinden not long after.
 

Ossie off for Turnbull ( Andrew Machin )

The changes were worth a try, but Palmer had to work hard to block Ugwu . He conceded a corner which was cleared well enough, but Minihan`s shot after he had surged clear did not test Holmes and it stayed 0-0.
 

Bell on for McAlinden ( Andrew Machin )

Lloyd looked altogether more menacing just 2 minutes later, but his surging run and pass inside to Walker received scant reward when he was penalised for not a great deal.

Umerah looked as aggrieved as Walker shortly after , the referee penalising him as he and Hogan clashed. I thought Hogan did well there!

Menace from Danny !

Ebbsfleet continued to want the win that tempted both teams to risk all, but try as both Mc Glashan and Umerah did there was nothing down for them, and Mc Glashan  rather blotted his copy book by wrecking a decent move by  Umerah and Ugwu with a poor pass.

It went on…………Umerah  seeing Hinchliffe positioned perfectly to keep his strike out, with just 12 minutes left, following this with the game`s second worse miss , as he dragged the poorest of shots wide leaving the home specs groaning in unison.

More attacking from Fleet saw Hinchliffe dive to push Ugwu`s header around the post, before claiming the incoming corner to increase the locals` angst.

 

Dimaio on ( Andrew Machin )

With 10 minutes left Dimaio came on for Walker, as Holmes` hands were warmed by a wee stinger from Jackson.

 

Hand warmer for Holmes.

That was but a taster as the County machine revved up a gear or two . Lloyd ignoring the worst the weather could hurl his way to force a corner !

That was a gigantic effort from Lloyd, and Palmer provided another , rising gloriously to head the ball home – first amongst a clutch of equals in white straining to do likewise! 

 

2 Shots of the winning goal from Palmer.

And Andrew Machin`s view of the goal:-

That was exactly what was required and the sodden supporters behind the goal, on the wind swept and rain lashed open terrace, hailed it loud and long….a fantastic County moment to savour!

They certainly had defending to do in the 5 minutes of added time to be played…5 minutes that saw keeper Holmes launching sundry clearances and free kicks deep into  County territory- free kick launched……follow up lifted again, but once…twice…3 times County met the challenge and found touch- eventually getting relief when Dimaio was fouled on the edge of the box.

And…had I done County a disfavour in asking `could they hold on?`, because Lloyd and others continued to look to sniff out a late second goal.

 

Jacko late on.......

Then……the game was almost done…dead, when the ball reached McGlashan in a prime shooting position. It had `chance` written all over it in bold letters, but he lifted a dreadful effort over the bar- the last act of a game now ended by Mr Wood`s whistle !

 

Lloyd greets fans !

 

They liked it too.....

They did as well....

and them...............

and these also !

Loved that….Well done with knobs on County!  

Ebbsfleet United line up:-

Holmes, King, Wilson, Ugwu, Goddard (Adeloye 68), Umerah, Grimes, Timlin, Payne ( Lawless 78), McGlashan, Mekki.

Subs not used : Blackman, Palmer, Ekpiteta.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Minihan, Palmer, Hogan, Cowan, Keane, Walker ( Dimaio 80), Osborne ( Turnbull 62), Jackson, McAlinden ( Bell 68), Lloyd.

Subs not used : Ormson, Arthur.

Attendance 1030

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