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Sport

Ebbsfleet United 3 Oxford City 0 match report: Dominic Poleon scores hat-trick as Ebbsfleet are National League South champions

By: Matthew Panting mpanting@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 16:51, 07 April 2023

Updated: 22:05, 07 April 2023

Ebbsfleet striker Dominic Poleon fittingly fired his side to the National League South title on Good Friday.

Poleon has been outstanding this season and he took his tally for the season to 36 league goals with a hat-trick to sink play-off chasing Oxford City.

Ebbsfleet hat-trick hero Dominic Poleon in action against Oxford City on Good Friday. Picture: Simon Hildrew

It means Dennis Kutrieb’s men, who have been in pole position for virtually the whole season, have won the league with four games to spare.

Both teams opted for a box of four midfielders but both tried to get the ball and play.

There was an early booking for Oxford’s Zac McEachran when he crunched into a challenge with Franklin Domi, the man who Fleet had tasked to mark him out of the game.

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Poleon missed a sitter on 10 minutes, somehow failing to turn in Omari Sterling-James’ centre across the six-yard box.

But he quickly put that behind him to give Ebbsfleet the lead just two minutes later. Josh Wright played the ball into Poleon, who turned his defender before firing low beyond keeper Adnan Kanuric.

Poleon’s celebration saw him race to the home dugout and raise up injured strike partner Rakish Bingham, whose season was cut short by injury at the end of last month.

Ebbsfleet's Greg Cundle is closed down by Oxford City. Picture: Simon Hildrew

Oxford, for all their early possession, didn’t have a shot on goal until 24 minutes, Josh Ashby’s effort was comfortably saved by Fleet keeper Mark Cousins.

Ebbsfleet nearly added a second when Chris Solly won the ball on halfway and picked out Greg Cundle, who ran at the defender before his near-post effort was well saved by Kanuric.

Lewis Coyle became the second Oxford player to go into the book, for pulling back Sterling-James.

Oxford, who still have hopes of chasing down Dartford for second spot, nearly levelled just before the break when Reece Fleet’s one-two took out three defenders, but his first-time volley went just over the bar.

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It took Poleon just five minutes of the second half to find the net again. Racing onto Solly’s through ball from the halfway line, Poleon ran at last-man Canice Carroll before firing high past Kanuric - with Bingham standing on one leg to applaud this time.

Poleon completed his hat-trick just past the hour mark, going clean through and he never looked like missing as he slotted past Kanuric.

Oxford hit the woodwork on 66 minutes, Joe Miccio’s header coming back off the crossbar from a right-wing corner.

Ebbsfleet substitute Darren McQueen runs at the visiting defence. Picture: Simon Hildrew

Poleon and Sterling-James both shot well over the bar as the Fleet held on to record a 16th home win of the season, and to start their party in front of the biggest home crowd of the season at Stonebridge Road.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O’Neill, Solly, Martin, Sterling-James, Wright (Clifford 64mins), N’Guessan, Edser, Cundle (McQueen 80mins), Domi (Chapman 69mins), Poleon. Subs not used: Jombati, Hollis.

Oxford City: Kanuric, Davies, Miccio, Ashby, Coyle, Fleet (Humphrey-Ewers 69mins), McEachran (Iaciofano 62mins), Lolos, Potter (Burley 72mins), Williams-Bushell, Carroll. Subs not used: Carbon, Wilson.

Referee: Oliver Mackey.

Attendance: 3,131.

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