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Ebbsfleet United look to continue their good away form in the play-offs at Aldershot Town

Going away from home in the play-offs holds no fear for Ebbsfleet United.

They've done so much travelling in the National League lately that Wednesday's quarter-final at Aldershot feels relatively local.

Fleet haven't lost on the road since February 3, during which time they've covered almost 3,000 miles and picked up 17 of a possible 21 points.

Luke Coulson is a likely starter for Ebbsfleet at Aldershot Picture: Andy Payton
Luke Coulson is a likely starter for Ebbsfleet at Aldershot Picture: Andy Payton

Wins at Halifax, Hartlepool, Barrow, Eastleigh and Gateshead have set them up well for a knockout tie at The Rec.

Ebbsfleet manager Daryl McMahon said: "Going to Aldershot doesn't hold any worries for us.

"There's no real pressure on us, the only pressure is internally, to see how far we can go now.

"We want to go all the way. Are we expected to? Definitely not. Are Aldershot the favourites? Definitely. But we'll go there and give a good account of ourselves.

"We're going into unchartered territory for the football club and for all of us so we're really looking forward to it."

The revamped National League play-off structure means the tie will be settled on the night with extra time and penalties if required.

Ebbsfleet have won three play-off semi-finals in the last four years but those were all contested over two legs.

McMahon said: "I think it's a lot better than it has been because you know, in that 90 minutes, it's all or nothing.

"We won away to Whitehawk and Hampton in Conference South and then had two edgy games at home from being in the lead and having something to lose.

"Having the 90 minutes to solve it is a great way of doing it."

Fleet always bore the burden of expectation in the South division but there's none of that now.

McMahon said: "We've got everything to gain. It's definitely different from the last two years.

"We were definitely under pressure last season.

"The way we got up last season, when you look at the squad, it's more or less the same.

"I know we've added four or five players to it but the starting XI is very similar to the one last season.

"We had six or seven of them playing every single week and that was the team that went down to 10 men in the first half at home to Chelmsford and came from 1-0 down to win 2-1, in the final, under huge pressure.

"They're used to it. We take it in our stride and we look forward to it."

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