SHAQ AND BUT SEAL A

EBBSFLEET need one more point to confirm their playoff spot after beating Dulwich on Good Friday.

The Fleet head to Concord on Monday looking to make it three wins on the spin as they seek some much-needed momentum in the final weeks of the campaign.

“It was a great team performance, a well-deserved win and we dominated them for 75 minutes,” said Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb.

“It was a tough start for us, we conceded an unlucky goal but from then on we dominated.

“Dulwich are a strong side but they are a little bit off their peak at the moment. They are hard to beat and I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in the play-offs.”

In stark contrast, it’s now eight games without a win for Gavin Rose’s Dulwich who failed to build on an early opener.

Despite that run, Dulwich are two points outside the top seven and will look to get back on track against Tonbridge on Monday.

Fleet had a great chance inside the second minute when Craig Tanner was allowed to run at the defence and fed Rakish Bingham, whose shot was beaten away by Charlie Grainger.

The visitors then went close when Jordan Higgs headed wide from a Michael Timlin delivery.

It was Dulwich who went ahead on ten minutes when Ronnie Vint diverted in Giovanni McGregor’s free-kick.

Ebbsfleet were back on level terms 12 minutes later as a short corner routine paid dividends. Christian N’Guessan set up Chris Solly, whose shot was cleared off the line. The ball fell perfectly for Shaquile Coulthirst whose initial effort hit the post but his follow-up somehow went in off the unfortunate visiting keeper Grainger.

Coulthirst created space on the edge of the box but his low right-footer lacked bend and power just past the half-hour while his partner Bingham sent a free-kick into the wall.

It was largely one-way traffic in the second half with Ebbsfleet creating all the clear-cut chances. Jack Paxman fired wide from the edge of the box before combining with Bingham to set up substitute Dominic Poleon, who scuffed his close-range effort.

Fleet got the goal their pressure deserved with 21 minutes left. Paxman threaded a perfect ball in and Bingham showed sharp instincts to shoot past Grainger into the far corner.

Poleon beat the offside trap with ten minutes left but Grainger did just enough to turn the ball behind as it threatened to squeeze under the keeper.

Dulwich struggled to create after the break, long-range efforts by Tyler Sterling and Vint being the best they could muster.