Pics: Andy Nunn & Stuart Tree
EVERYONE loves progress, nobody likes change, as the old saying goes. Well, if you’re a fan of Ebbsfleet United, you’re probably thinking there needs to be more changes if there’s to be more progression.
Having come so agonisingly close to promotion last season – less than 30 seconds away in fact – Fleet fans are hoping it will be fourth time lucky in National League South this term.
Since being relegated to Step Two under Liam Daish in 2013, the Stonebridge Road faithful have witnessed three different managers and have been defeated in two play-off finals, both at home.
Four months ago it was Lee Worgan’s penalty heroics that ensured Maidstone United‘s path to Step One, while two years before that it was former Fleet striker Nathan Elder who won promotion for another Kent side, Dover Athletic.
Steve Brown was the man in the home dugout for that one, but his previous mentor, Chris Kinnear, got the better of him, just like he had done in the two regular league matches that season.
The Maidstone final was completely different to the Dover clash. Ebbsfleet never looked like beating Dover, but twice went ahead against the Stones with inexperienced manager Daryl McMahon at the helm.
Star striker Danny Kedwell netted two penalties, both given for handball, as the Fleet took the lead in extra-time after a fine Bobby-Joe Taylor goal for the Stones had given us the extra 30 minutes.
Heartbreak
You remember these moments in the finest detail; everybody around me was preparing to invade the pitch as the fourth official indicated there would be two minutes’ added time, before Dumebi Dumaka struck with just seconds remaining.
Kedwell said: “To lose on penalties like that, to score two penalties in the game and miss one in the penalty shoot-out, it was a bit hard to take. But I was more disappointed that we conceded in the last minute.
“You move forward and it makes you stronger, mentally, more determined to ensure it doesn’t happen this year.”
But fast forward four months and the optimism is back, although during last Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Whitehawk, there were still moments of despair against a side they had beaten en route to the play-off final last season.
Anthony Cook’s wonderful curling shot found the corner to hand Fleet the lead in the first half, and an early goal in the second would surely have killed things off and made it three wins out of four.
Last season’s National League South runners-up had already beaten Poole Town and Concord Rangers before drawing at Hungerford. Ten points out of 12 would have represented a brilliant start to the season.
Indeed, the Fleet were handed an opportunity to take that 2-0 lead. Whitehawk keeper Lucas Covalan needlessly charged into Sam Deering having already claimed the ball and referee Alan Dale had no hesitation pointing to the spot and dishing out the red card.
Up stepped Charlie Sheringham, but with dad Teddy looking on, he blasted high over the bar. Momentum-changer? It certainly was and now Whitehawk began to press, and it was no surprise when Michael West netted a free-kick with seven minutes remaining to level things.
That’s the same Michael West who was Fleet’s play-off hero in 2010, scoring two goals in both legs of the semi-final against Chelmsford before repeating the feat with a brace in the 4-2 victory over Farnborough in a highly-charged final.
Optimistic
Following that promotion, two seasons in the Conference followed before a lack of funds cost Ebbsfleet a position in Non-League‘s top tier and almost saw the end of the club completely.
Kuwaiti businessman Abdulla Al-Humaidi stepped in and began opening his chequebook, at least he did when Brown was fired with the Fleet fourth in the table and former Welling boss Jamie Day brought in.
Kedwell arrived from Gillingham, as did Matt Fish. Big names in Kelvin Langmead, Adam Cunnington and Luke Rooney all came through the door with the likes of Billy Bricknell and now manager, then captain, McMahon shafted out.
Day barely lasted five months before he was shown the door and McMahon brought back to the club, hanging up his boots to take sole control in the dugout.
Last season was his first in charge and with all the disappointment in May, it’s easy to forget just how good the 2015-16 campaign actually was for Ebbsfleet.
Unbeaten in the league for the first 11 games; a run that ended when Maidstone visited Stonebridge Road in October, while the first away defeat of the season didn’t come until the Fleet made the long journey to Weston-super-Mare on Good Friday.
At one point, Ebbsfleet were 12 points clear at the top of National League South. Sutton always had games in hand, and credit has to go to Paul Doswell’s men for their remarkable unbeaten run which stretched from November to the end of the season.
With the 3G duo of Sutton and Maidstone up, the bookies say this should comfortably be the Fleet’s season, just like they did for the previous three years. Only time will tell.
