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Sittingbourne 1 Ebbsfleet United 6

Billy Bricknell has joined Maidstone Picture: Andy Payton
Billy Bricknell has joined Maidstone Picture: Andy Payton

Ebbsfleet swept to a comprehensive Kent Senior Cup win over Sittingbourne at Woodstock Park on Tuesday night.

The visitors, who have struggled for goals at times this season, put their Ryman League Division 1 South hosts to the sword with some clinical finishing.

Ben May came through 90 minutes for the first time since joining Ebbsfleet and he capped a solid display with two goals. Alex Osborn also scored twice, with substitutes Anthony Cook and Billy Bricknell (pictured) completing the rout.

Both sides came into the game having won in the FA Cup on Saturday. Sittingbourne made eight changes from their 2-1 win at Thamesmead, while Fleet boss Steve Brown named only five of the starting XI which took on Folkestone.

A game played on a bumpy surface saw Daryl McMahon fire an early shot wide for the Fleet before Connor Coyne and Sam Hayes tried their luck at the other end.

Ebbsfleet took the lead on 13 minutes. Dominic Green's cross from the left wasn't cut out and Osborn planted a firm header into the corner of the net.

However, the visitors' joy was tempered soon after when Cambridge United loanee Andy Pugh pulled up with an ankle injury and had to go off.

Grant Basey, making his Fleet debut, limped off momentarily and then failed to reappear for the second half. Having missed almost all of last season with a serious knee injury, the former Charlton defender looked to have suffered a recurrence.

By that time, Ebbsfleet were 2-0 up, May having tapped home from close-range after McMahon's free-kick from the right was shovelled into his path.

Nassim Dukali, on loan at Sittingbourne from Dulwich Hamlet, looked bright down the Brickies left all night. His right-footed volley looped onto the roof of the net early in the second period.

Sittingbourne keeper Patrick Irankunda raced out of his box and Osborn went round him, only to be denied by a superb Anthony John tackle. The defender injured himself in the challenge, however, and had to be substituted.

Neat passing set up the third Ebbsfleet goal for Cook on 65 minutes. The winger side-footed the ball across Irankunda and into the far corner.

The best goal of the night was scored by Sittingbourne, though.

Dukali's trickery got him to the byline and his cross was not cleared by the Fleet defence. The ball eventually fell to Tom Loynes, who cracked a fantastic strike into the top corner.

That goal was a reward for the good football Sittingbourne played for much of the night, and they almost reduced the deficit further. Hicham Akhazzan had barely stepped off the substitutes bench when his goalbound shot was blocked by a visiting defender.

However, three goals in the last 11 minutes put the Fleet out of sight.

Bricknell pulled the ball back for May to rifle in his second goal from close-range, before Cook's driven cross was converted by Osborn at the far post to make it 5-1.

The lively Dukali embarked on a direct run at the other end and shot wide as the Brickies looked to finish with a flourish.

But they conceded again in stoppage-time. Bricknell ran onto Cook's quick free-kick and rolled a composed finish beyond Irankunda.

Ebbsfleet travel to Weston-super-Mare in the Skrill South on Saturday, while Sittingbourne are at home to Whitstable Town in the FA Trophy.

Sittingbourne: Irankunda, Brunt, John (R Crimmen 63mins), Hayes, G Crimmen (Ulph 59mins), Hogg, Loynes, Brown, Coyne, Jalloh (Akhazzan 76mins), Dukali. Subs not used: Doherty, Molloy.

Ebbsfleet: Hall, Howe, Sankofa, Basey (Lorraine 46mins), Palmer, Osborn, Rance, McMahon, Green (Cook 48mins), May, Pugh (Bricknell 25mins). Subs not used: Edwards, Phipp.

Attendance: 144.

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