Danny Kedwell has been waiting all season for a goal like the one he scored on Wednesday night.

The former Gillingham striker crashed a free-kick through the wall to put Ebbsfleet 2-0 up at Whitehawk in the first leg of their National League South play-off semi-final.

His shot was too hot for Craig Ross to handle, the Hawks goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball but only able to divert it into the roof of the net.

Kedwell said: "I’ve been trying it all season and not one’s come off yet.

"I think it’s come at the perfect time.

"That’s probably why I’ve got none in the league. I’ve been saving it for this game."

Fleet conceded a late goal at the Enclosed Ground but go into the second leg with a 2-1 lead.

Kedwell said: "We came here to get a good chance for us on Sunday.

"We were a bit disappointed at the end, conceding that goal after being 2-0 up. But we’d have taken it at the beginning of the game, to be going into Sunday with a one-goal lead.

"With their pitch the way it is, it’s going to be very difficult to come here. You’ve got to come to these sort of places and dig in.

"It’s not going to be easy on Sunday. We’ve got to do the same again, work like we did today, and I’m sure we’ll be OK."

Kedwell also played a key role in Ebbsfleet's first goal.

Sent clear by Matt Godden down the flank, he made ground into the box and chose not to shoot, instead picking out Stuart Lewis with a smart cutback.

Kedwell said: "It was a great build-up down the right-hand side. Stuey made a great run, which made my mind up where I was going and it was a great finish. It was a great team goal.

"We should have had more goals but we’re going into Sunday with a good 2-1 win.

"I’ve won play-offs, I know what it takes and this was a great team performance. It wasn’t just the players on the pitch but the whole squad. We’ve got to make sure we keep that together and hopefully we’ll be in the final.

"Play-offs are very funny. It depends who turns up on the day. We turned up today and we’ve got to make sure we turn up again on Sunday."