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Sport

Ebbsfleet United 1 Maidenhead United 1 match report

By: Steve Tervet

Published: 16:58, 24 March 2018

Updated: 20:11, 24 March 2018

Ebbsfleet conceded a late equaliser at home to Maidenhead on Saturday.

Luke Coulson's early goal had Fleet in front but the visitors piled on the pressure and were good value for their point.

Daryl McMahon's side are now unbeaten in six games but remain seven points outside the National League play-offs.

Corey Whitely delivers a cross Picture: Andy Payton

Ebbsfleet, playing their first home game for more than a month, made two changes to the team which drew at Leyton Orient a fortnight earlier.

Sam Magri, out for the season with a knee injury, was replaced at right-back by the fit-again Lawrie Wilson while Jack Powell was preferred to Jack Payne in midfield.

mpu1

There were milestones for two of the Fleet's longest-serving players as Dean Rance and Danny Kedwell reached 200 and 150 appearances respectively.

A frenetic start saw Maidenhead pile forward and create a host of good chances - but it was the home side who took the lead.

Andy Drury fed Coulson 25 yards from goal and his precise right-footed shot snaked into the bottom corner.

But the Fleet goal was leading a charmed life and how Maidenhead didn't score an early goal is anyone's guess.

Nathan Ashmore did superbly to push Sam Barratt's deflected shot behind and Jake Goodman headed wide from the resulting corner.

A volley from Moses Emmanuel came back off the post when Ebbsfleet allowed a cross to bounce in the box before the same player went close three more times. He looked certain to convert Barratt's low cross from the left but touched the ball wide.

Ebbsfleet goalscorer Luke Coulson holds off Rene Steer Picture: Andy Payton

Emmanuel's strike partner Sean Marks tested Ashmore with a header before lashing a shot out of the ground as Maidenhead continued to threaten.

mpu2

But Ebbsfleet gradually started to see more of the ball and Rance cushioned a volley wide after Kedwell had flicked a header into his path.

Drury almost punished a mix-up between two defenders but his attempted chip dropped over the crossbar with keeper Carl Pentney beaten.

Maidenhead were winning most of the midfield battles and Pritchard rifled a long shot wide before Barratt's floated cross was glanced wide by the head of Goodman.

Between those half-chances, Drury fed the overlapping Wilson and Remy Clerima almost turned the full-back's cross into his own net.

After a quiet start to the second half, Fleet survived a real scramble in their six-yard box.

Marks missed his kick in front of goal and saw his second effort charged down before Emmanuel, on the turn, shot wide.

Dave Winfield headed wide from a Powell corner at the other end but there was less tempo to the game now, both sides guilty of surrendering possession too easily.

Coulson's persistence forced an error from his man but Pentney was out quickly to narrow the angle and save when Coulson got his shot away.

Desperate defending denies substitute Sean Shields Picture: Andy Payton

Emmanuel must have thought he'd finally scored, 20 minutes from time, when his shot took a deflection and arrowed towards the top corner but Ashmore arched his back and pulled off an astonishing save to tip the ball over.

Then came a chance for Fleet with Rance stretching to connect with a deep cross but although his looping effort beat Pentney, a brilliant goal line clearance from Ryan Upward kept it out.

Jake Hyde forced a save from Ashmore but left the keeper standing with his next effort, which deflected just wide of the post.

Substitute Sean Shields almost made it 2-0, twisting and turning before lashing a low shot just wide from a narrow angle.

But finally the Maidenhead pressure, nine minutes from time, when Harry Pritchard rifled in the equaliser after Fleet had blocked the initial effort.

Ebbsfleet were forced into some desperate late defending as Maidenhead pushed for the winner.

But the game ended on a sour note with Drury and Pentney both booked deep in stoppage-time after a clash which sparked a melee involving several players.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Wilson, Winfield, Clark, Connors, Drury, Rance (Wabo 83mins), Powell (Payne 78mins), Coulson, Whitely (Shields 64mins), Kedwell. Subs not used: Miles, Bush.

Maidenhead: Pentney, Clerima, Goodman, Massey, Steer, Barratt (Hyde 67mins), Upward (Clifton 79mins), Odametey, Pritchard, Marks, Emmanuel. Subs not used: Osho, Kilman, Smith.

Attendance: 1,503.

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