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Jack Paxman was given a new role in Ebbsfleet’s FA Cup tie at Leyton Orient – and came through with flying colours.
The Fleet midfielder was deployed on the right wing after Tobi Adebayo-Rowling was ruled out with food poisoning.
It was a new role for the 27-year-old who impressed during the narrow 1-0 defeat after manager Dennis Kutrieb was forced into a late reshuffle.
“It was a very late call,” admitted Kutrieb. “Big credit to Paxman, he had (Theo) Archibald in his pocket. He was on top of him, it’s not his position but he played outstanding.
“It’s not his natural position, he was really good like many others as well. In a new position when you’re not really sure what to do - outstanding.
“I trust him, he delivered last season and in every game we’ve played so far this season.”
The selection of Paxman in that role was a positive move by Kutrieb, who could have drafted in Sido Jombati and moved Ben Chapman further forward.
But the Fleet boss wanted to have more offensive players on the pitch.
“I trust other players as well, I could have put other players there as well but my gut feeling was Paxman because he can attack, he can defend and he has that composure that we needed,” added Kutrieb.
“I think it was the right decision. If we’d gone a bit more defensively, we would have put Jombati in and Chapman on the right wing but we wanted to play with three in the back and not five in the back.”
