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Ebbsfleet United manager Daryl McMahon on the 0-0 draw with Gateshead FC

Daryl McMahon described Ebbsfleet's goalless draw with Gateshead as their best performance of the season.

This was a fifth draw in six National League outings for Fleet, who had most of the ball and created the best chances against the Tynesiders at Stonebridge Road.

They couldn't break Heed down on the day but manager Daryl McMahon was reasonably happy after the game.

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Ebbsfleet manager Daryl McMahon Picture: Andy Payton
Ebbsfleet manager Daryl McMahon Picture: Andy Payton

"We should have won," McMahon said. "I thought it was our best performance for 90 minutes of the season so far.

"I don’t know if they had a shot on target or really got in a situation to score a goal so I was pleased with the defending. Going the other way, we looked good going forward and had so many great opportunities in the final third that we rushed or made a bad decision on - but there was some good play.

"We did well to get into so many great attacking situations and (it was frustrating) not taking advantage of them when we should have and it’s been the story of our season so far.

"We’ve had five draws and could easily have won at least two of them from better finishing and better decisions in the final third but it was a good performance and it’s something for us to build on.

"Gateshead have had two top-10 finishes in the last two seasons and I’m sure (their manager) Neil Aspin will say we should have won. We were the better side without a doubt but you’ve got to take your chances when you’re on top and we didn’t."

Fleet are one of only two sides in the National League still unbeaten - leaders Dagenham the other - but with just one win to their name so far they sit 12th in the table.

McMahon said: "It’s 100% frustrating. It’s frustrating for the players as well because we’ve been in situations when we've been two goals behind from starting sloppy and got back, which is a point gained.

Jack Payne throws himself into a tackle Picture: Andy Payton
Jack Payne throws himself into a tackle Picture: Andy Payton

"But we’ve also been in situations, particularly Guiseley away, when I felt we should have won. Today we should have won and maybe even second half at Maidenhead, we had two or three really good opportunities that we didn’t capitalise on. I think if we’d gone ahead we would have won the game.

"So that’s three out of the five that we could have nicked but I think we’ve handled the step up well and we’ll get better as we go along."

Fleet's finishing let them down at Guiseley on the opening day and it was the same story against Gateshead.

McMahon said: "There was a great chance for Luke Coulson to be fair, Andy Drury had a great chance, so did Darren McQueen.

"Sometimes when you’re not getting the wins you want, you can be like that, you rush a shot instead of having that little bit of composure and sometimes you can go the other way when you’re trying to play it too cool and you miss your opportunity.

"It’s about getting that balance right now."

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