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Ebbsfleet United 0 Bath City 1 match report

A wonder goal in the dying seconds sunk National League South leaders Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

Bath's Kaid Mohamed lashed a superb shot into the top corner with 15 seconds of stoppage-time remaining as the visitors claimed only their second league win in 14 outings - and first on the road since August.

Fleet failed to cap their first-half dominance with a goal and after a lacklustre second-half display, they were left to rue a lack of cutting edge.

However, on a day when five of the division's top six clubs lost, they remain seven points clear with a game in hand.

Head in hands for John Paul Kissock as Ebbsfleet miss another chance Picture: Andy Payton
Head in hands for John Paul Kissock as Ebbsfleet miss another chance Picture: Andy Payton

Jordan Parkes came into the Fleet starting XI having played 45 minutes of their Kent Senior Cup win over Phoenix Sports in midweek. He took Stuart Lewis' place in central midfield in what looked like an attack-minded change by manager Daryl McMahon.

For the visitors, illness kept Andy Watkins out of the squad and Dave Pratt surprisingly dropped to the bench while Chas Hemmings was also omitted from Lee Howells' team. In came Dan Bowman, Brad Williams and Nick McCootie.

Bath, playing for the first time since December 5, were set up to strike on the counter-attack and they almost did just that inside three minutes. One long ball out of defence sent McCootie running in behind the Fleet defence but his heavy touch carried the ball through to goalkeeper Brandon Hall.

Ebbsfleet, with the wind at their backs, took a while to get their passing game going.

Two Matt Fish crosses from the right were a little too heavy for their intended targets and Frankie Artus lashed a shot over at the other end.

But as the first half wore on, a red attacking wave began to roll towards the Bath goal.

Parkes had a goalbound volley blocked when Danny Kedwell nodded Fish's deep cross down into his path and when JP Kissock found Matt Godden in acres of space down the right, the striker bore down on the box and saw his shot deflect behind for a corner.

Matt Godden keeps his eye on the ball under pressure from Andy Gallinagh Picture: Andy Payton
Matt Godden keeps his eye on the ball under pressure from Andy Gallinagh Picture: Andy Payton

A neat ball from Godden then found the overlapping Fish inside the box and from his knockdown, Kedwell forced an excellent save from Bath keeper Steve Phillips at his near post.

The visitors offered a reminder of their threat on the break when Mohamed sped past three Fleet players and into the box. But Kenny Clark got back to tackle him and Bath's shouts for a penalty, although loud, were never going to convince referee Lee Betts.

Anthony Cook spread play wide to Godden and then got himself into the box but couldn't force Godden's cross home from near the penalty spot.

Godden was unplayable at times. His movement on the edge of the box had Bath heads spinning and after swapping passes with Parkes, Godden struck the base of the near post after stretching to keep the ball alive near the byline.

Clark headed just over from a Parkes corner and Phillips then clawed out Parkes' header when Kedwell nodded a free-kick into his path.

Between those chances, Dean Rance and McCootie were booked for their parts in a melee which saw players from both teams rush in. Rance was unhappy with McCootie's initial challenge and the Bath player, who reacted angrily, was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch.

Sensing his player was walking a disciplinary tightrope, Howells took McCootie off at half-time and sent on Pratt for the second period.

Williams got the ball out of his feet and shot wide for the visitors before Ben Adelsbury tried his luck from similar distance. Like Williams, he failed to hit the target.

Anthony Cook looks for a way through on his return to Stonebridge Road Picture: Andy Payton
Anthony Cook looks for a way through on his return to Stonebridge Road Picture: Andy Payton

The home crowd turned up the volume to lift the Fleet players, who responded.

Kissock was hauled down just outside the box and Parkes took the free-kick quickly, playing in Kedwell who blazed a shot narrowly over at the Plough End.

A scratchy clearance from Fleet captain Tom Bonner then travelled only as far as Mohamed, 25 yards out, and he ran at Fish before drilling a left-footed shot past the angle. Another long-range effort from Adelsbury flew wide as the Romans, who had decided attack was the best form of defence, kept pushing forward.

Artus turned Clark and curled a shot just wide and with 20 minutes left, McMahon sent on Haynes for Cook in an attempt to turn the game Ebbsfleet's way again.

But chances had dried up and a fourth forward, Charlie Sheringham, was introduced 12 minutes from time as the hosts desperately searched for a winning goal.

It took until the 87th minute, however, for Ebbsfleet to fashion a chance of any note. Haynes broke down the right and centred for Kedwell but his lay-off was wafted high over the bar by Parkes.

And that moment of genius from Mohamed at the end of the third added minute sent the visitors wild and silenced the rest of Stonebridge Road.

Ebbsfleet: Hall, Fish, Howe, Kissock (Sheringham 78mins), Clark, Bonner, Rance, Parkes, Kedwell, Godden, Cook (Haynes 69mins). Subs not used: Acheampong, Miles, Lewis.

Bath: Phillips, Simpson, Gallinagh, Batten, Ball, Adelsbury, Bowman, Williams (Hemmings 72mins), McCootie (Pratt 46mins), Mohamed, Artus. Subs not used: Coupe, Smith.

Attendance: 1,115.

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