Ebbsfleet United 2 Stafford Rangers 1

EBBSFLEET United came from behind to secure a 2-1 win over Stafford Rangers in the Blue Square Premier at Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

The victory was all the more remarkable given that Fleet played more than half the game with 10 men following the sending off of Chukki Eribenne in the first half.

Fleet started strongly and came close to opening the scoring on 13 minutes when Chris McPhee played the ball into the path of Stacy Long, but his shot flew just wide.

The home side's task was made harder on 37 minutes when striker Eribenne was sent-off after an apparent headbutt on Richard Sutton. The Stafford defender was later booked for his initial challenge on the former Weymouth striker.

In the second half, Stafford took the lead when a loose ball fell to substitute Neil Grayson and the striker made no mistake as he fired the ball past Lance Cronin.

The lead lasted just eight minutes until George Purcell raced onto a pass from Luke Moore, before cutting inside and firing an unstoppable shot past Scott Loach.

Fleet looked a constant threat on the counter attack and wrapped up the points on 76 minutes when Moore cut the ball back for Stacy Long to score.

Ebbsfleet: Cronin, Hawkins, Smith, McCarthy, Opinel, McPhee, Bostwick, Long, Purcell (Barrett 84), Moore, Eribenne.

Subs Not Used: French, Coleman, Akinde, Starkey.

Attendance: 1,055.