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Sport

FA Cup: Ebbsfleet United set for first round replay at Cheltenham Town

By: Steve Tervet

Published: 06:40, 20 November 2018

Updated: 06:54, 20 November 2018

History beckons for Ebbsfleet in their FA Cup first round replay at Cheltenham on Tuesday night.

Fleet haven't reached the second round since 2003/04, when they were still Gravesend & Northfleet.

And it's 23 years since they knocked out a Football League side - Colchester United - on the way to play Aston Villa in round three.

Corey Whitely takes on the Cheltenham defence during the first game Picture: Andy Jones

Fleet held Cheltenham to a goalless draw at Stonebridge Road 10 days ago and the tie must be settled tonight (Tuesday).

The League 2 strugglers are odds-on to go through but Ebbsfleet manager Garry Hill insists his National League side are more than good enough to cause an upset away from home.

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He said: "It is where it is. It's not a concern to me.

"Cheltenham are favourites and they're the League club so they should be going through but I don't think there's much between the two sides.

"In the situation where we are, there's a lot at stake for both clubs financially and the big incentive of being one round away from a glamour third-round tie.

"We'll go there positive. We know it's going to be a tough game but we look forward to it."

The winners will secure £36,000 in prize money and a trip to Accrington Stanley in the second round.

Ebbsfleet are unbeaten in six matches and have gone almost five hours without conceding a goal while Cheltenham, who climbed out of the League 2 relegation zone on Saturday, have been knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league opposition in four of the last five seasons.

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Hill said: "We'll have a go at any game. We're not going to go anywhere and sit back and defend.

"You get forced back in games but I think the general public at Ebbsfleet United will want to see attacking teams.

"We'll do our utmost to do that consistently all the time."

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