FLEET AVOID ROUGH SEAS PAST TOWN
EBBSFLEET United manager Kevin Watson said he was determined not to be the story of the FA Trophy first round after his side came through a potential banana skin.
First-minute goals from Alex Reid – in the opening minute – and Gozie Ugwu helped the National League strugglers comfortably see off their Isthmian Premier hosts.
And Watson praised his team’s professionalism after two early goals saw the Fleet progress.
“There is always at least one upset every round in these competitions and we were determined that it wouldn’t be us,” he said. “In general, our play was excellent. We controlled it although at 2-0 one goal for them would have changed things.
“Enfield were always going to have a go. We needed to match their workrate and intensity and we did that.”
It took less than 60 seconds for the opening goal to arrive. The ball was worked down the left flank and Tomi Adeloye cut back onto his right foot and crossed for Reid who took advantage of some static defending to slide the ball under goalkeeper Nathan McDonald from close range.
Enfield’s Mo Faal was causing the most concern to Fleet, although his shot on the angle on 15 minutes was more likely to trouble low-flying aircraft than away stopper Jordan Holmes.
The game was drifting but a rocket doubled the lead. A free-kick from halfway by Josh Payne reached Ugwu just inside the penalty area and the burly forward turned and lashed a powerful drive high into the net – his tenth of the season.
But then, five minutes later, a lifeline. A corner was sent into the box and Marc Weatherstone went down under pressure from Tyler Cordner. A penalty was awarded but the usually clinical Billy Bricknell was unable to take advantage – his low effort easily held by Holmes.
It should have been 3-0 five minutes after the break. A ball was slid through for Reid but he couldn’t round McDonald who did well to grab the ball.
The same man headed wide 15 minutes later before a rare Enfield opportunity. An excellent ball from midfield picked out the run of Faal but he smashed his effort straight at Holmes.
Reid missed another chance after a superb right-wing cross from substitute Josh Umerah and while Bricknell’s speculative late effort from long range crashed against the crossbar, the game had been won much earlier.
“It was always going to be a huge challenge but it’s the furthest we have got in the cup so we have to be pleased with our progress,” Town boss Andy Lees said.