GREGORY SPOT ON FOR FLEET!
GOALKEEPER David Gregory saved an 89th-minute penalty from Chorley’s Alex Newby to hand Ebbsfleet United a survival lifeline in this clash of the bottom two at Stonebridge Road.
Gregory gave away the spot-kick when he was adjudged to have upended Alex Kiwomya after initially misjudging a through ball that held up in the wind.
But the former Bromley keeper made amends when brilliantly saving Newby’s spot-kick low to his right.
Gregory then produced an even better stop in the fourth minute of stoppage time, somehow keeping out Matty Challoner’s low drive with his legs when the Chorley wing-back seemed certain to equalise.
It was a dramatic ending to a match that struggled to get going at times – mainly due to the conditions – on an already testing surface.
“We won ugly,” admitted Ebbsfleet boss Kevin Watson, whose team are now just five points away from climbing out of the bottom four.
“I’m adamant it wasn’t a penalty but David Gregory made a fantastic save, and then he made another great stop after that.
“It was always going to be nervy; it was two teams at the bottom both fighting for their lives.
“We rode our luck in the last 10 minutes but when you’re hanging on and desperate to get over the line, sometimes that happens.”
Chances were few and far between in the first half but the game sparked into life after the break with both sides going close. Adam Mekki connected perfectly with Sutherland’s right-wing corner but sent his effort just wide of the upright.
Chorley might have led on 53 minutes but, having capitalised on an error by King, Marcus Carver saw his shot beaten away by Gregory.
Within four minutes, King was having an impact at the other end. Sutherland delivered a teasing free-kick from the right and the Fleet captain got to the ball first to slam it beyond keeper Matt Urwin and put the hosts ahead.
Carver should have levelled but he shot wide after beating the offside trap, then Scott Duxbury saw his closerange effort cleared off the line as the Fleet goal led a charmed life.
After their late misses, Chorley left Kent wondering how they failed to score but it was largely a tale of their goal-shy season, which has seen them net just 29 goals in 34 matches.
“It was the same old, same old from us,” Chorley boss Jamie Vermiglio said. “Ebbsfleet couldn’t have had any complaints if we’d have won that game with the chances we created.
“But, as has been the case too often this season, we haven’t put our chances away and have once again been on the end of a defeat.”