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Ebbsfleet United 1 Margate 2 match report

Margate scored a stoppage-time winner to sink Kent rivals Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

Lewis Taylor beat goalkeeper Brandon Hall in the first of three added minutes to stun Stonebridge Road and keep the Fleet's lead at the top of National League South to six points on a weekend when second-placed Maidstone didn't play.

Danny Kedwell had cancelled out Kane Wills' opener and the home side poured forward in search of a late winner but it was the Blues who snatched the points - and the bragging rights.

Margate celebrate Lewis Taylor' stoppage-time winner at Stonebridge Road Picture: Andy Payton
Margate celebrate Lewis Taylor' stoppage-time winner at Stonebridge Road Picture: Andy Payton

Fleet boss Daryl McMahon, missing injured duo Kenny Clark and Joe Howe, handed Bryan van den Bogaert his full debut in a defence which also included the fit-again Matt Fish.

John Paul Kissock was preferred to Stuart Lewis in midfield and Anthony Cook was also left on the bench alongside new signing Aaron McLean.

For the visitors, Luke Moore started against his former club but Matt Johnson had to watch from the stands as part of the deal which took him from Ebbsfleet to Margate last week. Nikki Bull's only other change saw Brett Johnson come in for Sam Rents.

Fleet looked nervy in defence from the very start. Van den Bogaert conceded a corner when he was caught in possession by Freddie Ladapo and when Hall failed to claim the cross, Dean Rance had to scramble Johnson's header off the line.

Matt Godden cut in from the left and lashed a shot wide for the hosts but Margate hit the front on eight minutes.

Ladapo burst down the left and his low cross was neatly converted by former Fleet midfielder Wills, whose first-time finish flashed into the bottom corner.

The home players began arguing among themselves as Margate dictated play.

Ladapo was quite simply unplayable, spinning away from Fleet skipper Tom Bonner and firing a shot into the side-netting as the travelling fans prematurely celebrated a second goal.

Ebbsfleet's strikeforce looked blunt and their lack of cutting edge was perfectly illustrated by three efforts on the space of 30 seconds. Jordan Parkes fired a poor free-kick straight into the wall and then scuffed a second effort into a blocking defender before Danny Kedwell miskicked on the rebound.

The leaders, urged forward by a frustrated home crowd, built up a head of steam late in the first half but failed to force a single save from goalkeeper Chris Lewington.

A chorus of boos followed referee Carl Brook off the pitch after a display which raised as many questions as the home team's performance.

McLean was sent on for the second half, with McMahon seeking a response from his players - although even he couldn't have imagined what followed.

The second period was less than a minute old when Godden's shot from a right-wing cross was blocked and Kedwell followed in to score from a couple of yards out.

Danny Kedwell wheels away after levelling the scores early in the second half Picture: Andy Payton
Danny Kedwell wheels away after levelling the scores early in the second half Picture: Andy Payton

Kedwell's goal changed the mood around the ground and the whole complexion of the game.

Danny Haynes cut in from the right - having spent the first half on the opposite flank - but chose to pass when a shot looked the better option.

Ebbsfleet's next attack saw Kedwell meet Haynes' cutback with a low shot which forced Lewington into a smart save.

But Hall needed to be alert when Lewis Taylor took aim from 18 yards. The goalkeeper dived to his left and saved well, with Margate offside from the follow-up.

Ebbsfleet were back into their passing rhythm now although it was a counter-attack which almost got them the lead midway through the half. Kedwell's header out of defence was flicked first-time by McLean into the path of Godden, who bore down on goal but saw his shot deflect behind.

Anthony Acheampong then glanced a header wide from Haynes' right-wing cross and Godden almost found the top corner with a powerful strike from outside the box.

At the other end, Ladapo turned Bonner and surged towards the box before shooting over - but there only looked to be one winner as Ebbsfleet threw everything at their visitors in pursuit of a winning goal.

Margate, and Taylor, had other ideas, however, the midfielder finding the net with a cross-shot which deceived Hall and went in off the crossbar.

Ebbsfleet: Hall, Fish, Van den Bogaert, Kissock, Acheampong, Bonner, Rance, Parkes (McLean 46mins), Kedwell, Godden, Haynes. Subs not used: Lewis, Miles, Sheringham, Cook.

Margate: Lewington, Wilson, N Green, Wassmer (Rents 59mins), Goodman, B Johnson, Wills (Jolley 73mins), L Taylor, Ladapo, D Green (Hunt 82mins), Moore. Subs not used: J Taylor, Phipps.

Attendance: 1,462.

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