Ebbsfleet United looking for their first Vanarama Conference South away win at Weston-super-Mare
Published: 00:00, 09 September 2014
Ebbsfleet manager Steve Brown wants his side to impose themselves physically on Weston-super-Mare when they go in search of their first away win of the season on Tuesday night.
Brown's side have 10 points from six games in Vanarama Conference South, two points more than Weston, who have played a game more.
"They’re a passing side," Brown said. "I went to watch them against Farnborough and it was very open, end-to-end, two teams that gave the ball away a lot but wanted to attack.
"I’m expecting them to pass and play and move and we’ve formulated a game plan to unsettle Weston-super-Mare. Gosport have gone down there a couple of weeks ago and won 5-0, so I think, physically, if we can impose ourselves on the Weston side, we'll do OK."
Ebbsfleet have yet to pick up a point on the road this season. They lost 1-0 at Whitehawk and went down to defeat at Basingstoke by the same scoreline.
Brown said: "We’ve had two sides that might be in and around the play-offs by the end of the season – especially Whitehawk, who I know have got a decent budget. Basingstoke, not so much the budget, but they’ve got a real team spirit at the moment that’s getting them results. That might turn, but at the moment, Jason (Bristow) is doing a great job down there and they’re getting good results. They’re not easy fixtures, those two.
"Weston, on paper, is a slightly easier fixture. Their budget’s been cut hugely and they’ve got a lot of kids in that like to play and pass."
There will be at least one change to the Ebbsfleet starting XI on Tuesday, with skipper Daryl McMahon beginning a three-match ban. Kenny Clark is likely to wear the captain's armband in his absence.
Players who were left out against St Albans at the weekend may be recalled at Weston.
Brown said: "I made three changes on Saturday and the ones that came in, it looks really positive for them, big smiles on their faces. The ones that have come out are a little bit down but I lose Macca on Tuesday for three games, so there’s an opportunity there, and Os (Alex Osborn) has come in injured, there’s an opportunity there possibly.
"The side’s going to change, win, lose or draw, because that’s the nature of this level. I might see a strength in the opposition where I think a player who hasn’t played on Saturday would be better off dealing with that strength on Tuesday.
"I tried to say in the dressing-room afterwards that it’s only human nature to think 'well, that’s gone well, so I won’t play on Tuesday if I wasn’t in the side' and that’s not the case. It’s very much a squad thing and it always has been.
"All my teams, that I’ve put together, you might think you’re out of it but you’re not. You’re very much in the mix, always. It’s about all the players we have here and making sure they work together."
More by this author
Steve Tervet