KentOnline

bannermobile

News

Sport

Business

What's On

Advertise

Contact

Other KM sites

CORONAVIRUS WATCH KMTV LIVE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS LISTEN TO KMFM
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
Sport

Ebbsfleet United midfielder Jim Kellermann says squad confidence is low after poor National League start but knows best way to address that is with results ahead of journey to Braintree Town

By: Thomas Reeves treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 26 August 2024

Updated: 09:00, 26 August 2024

Midfielder Jim Kellermann admits confidence is low among Ebbsfleet’s players - but knows the best way to improve that is by getting results.

Danny Searle’s Fleet side are the early National League basement boys after four successive defeats, beaten 3-0 at home to Woking in the latest of those on Saturday.

Striker Dominic Poleon drives forward for Ebbsfleet United in Saturday’s 3-0 National League loss at Stonebridge Road. Picture: Ed Miller / EUFC

Ebbsfleet will return to action at Braintree today.

Kellermann, who was stand-in skipper against the Cards with club captain Josh Wright on the substitutes’ bench, said: “We really weren’t good enough on Saturday.

“We let the staff down, let the gaffer down and the fans down. But the good thing about this weekend is the games come thick and fast so we just need to put it right at Braintree.

mpu1

“We just need to get a point or a couple of points, and I think things will change.

“Confidence is a bit low but the only way to reverse that is to start winning games.”

Searle: We deserved to get booed

Report: Ebbsfleet 0-3 Woking

Searle’s side originally started brightly against Woking, only to fail to make the most of numerous first-half set-pieces before they conceded from one themselves before half-time.

The Surrey side doubled their advantage in the second period as they capitalised on a bad pass from Ebbsfleet substitute Craig Tanner and substitute Matt Ward rounded things off for Woking in injury time.

mpu2

“We conceded three really poor goals,” noted 28-year-old Kellermann.

“Actually from set-pieces, we have been quite strong at the start of the season but the first goal is just unacceptable. From there, we’re chasing the game and mistakes can happen.

“The second goal is a killer. Then, heads go down and we’re just in that period of time where these little moments are really impacting us.

Ebbsfleet defender Lewis Page wins an aerial battle in the first half. Picture: Ed Miller / EUFC

“We need to put it right.”

Kellermann admits it’s crucial for Ebbsfleet to get their first points of the campaign on the board sooner rather than later.

They fought back from 2-0 down at Yeovil last Tuesday through goals from defender Lewis Page and substitute Dominic Samuel but the Glovers got the game’s all-important fifth goal at Huish Park.

Kellermann said: “It’s important. I think performances have got to be better.

“We had a good 45 minutes on Tuesday night and that really gave us a boost of confidence.

“Going into Saturday, we did feel high on confidence. It’s about building that back up. We did it when we were 2-0 down against Yeovil and came back into the game really strongly.

“That’s the mentality we have got to have: Work hard, get back on it and let’s all push in the same direction.”

Braintree have picked up four points from their first four league fixtures this term, including a point from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Solihull Moors.

More by this author

sticky

© KM Group - 2024