SMASH AND GRAB RAID PUNISHES BLUEBIRDS

EBBSFLEET UNITED 1 Kedwell 35 BARROW 0 LINE-UPS

YOU don’t always get what you deserve in life and Barrow must have made the long journey home from Kent wondering how they lost this game.

Kyle Jameson’s mistake was punished by Danny Kedwell on a day when the Bluebirds dominated from start to finish at Stonebridge Road.

But for all their possession they lacked quality front of goal and it’s now five straight defeats for Ian Evatt’s side.

He said: “We were fantastic and I’m really proud of the players because they stepped up to the plate.

“The way we moved the ball was back to how we were but we missed chance after chance so we’ve got to be more clinical.

“The way things are going at the minute, one mistake has cost us the game but other than that, Joel Dixon was more or less a passenger.

“It was attack versus defence for virtually the whole 90 minutes and if we play like that all season, we will finish in the top 10.”

Ebbsfleet have bossed several games this season without winning them so the boot was very much on the other foot here.

The lively Esteves De Sousa gave them to plenty to think about in the first half, forcing a fine block from Dave Winfield, shooting narrowly wide and twice laying on terrific crosses.

Both were met by Fleet defender Sam Magri, who diverted the first over his own bar before forcing Nathan Ashmore into a brilliant save when he connected with the second. Ebbsfleet lacked attacking quality for most of the game but found some when it mattered most. Jameson – a last-minute inclusion after Josh Granite pulled up in the warm-up – missed Chris Bush’s long throw down the left and Kedwell threaded a precise shot across Dixon into the bottom corner. The goal did little to change the game, though, with Barrow winning the midfield battle and using the ball far better. Fleet’s failure to keep it invited pressure although the Bluebirds did not work Ashmore enough. Kedwell had a second goal controversially disallowed for a foul and when Winfield got his head to a De Sousa shot deep in stoppagetime, Barrow’s last chance had gone. “It was a result we needed,” said Ebbsfleet boss Daryl McMahon, whose side are now unbeaten in four. “We were unlucky not to have another goal and a penalty but I’m glad to get the three points. “Barrow are a good side. They play some good football but we defended our box really well and Nathan Ashmore was outstanding, back to his brilliant best. “It was a whole-hearted performance, committed and that’s what this team always gives you.”