BEES SLIP AGAIN AS FLEET EARN BIG POINT

BATTLING Ebbsfleet United came from behind to force a draw against thirdplaced Barnet at Stonebridge Road.

Nicke Kabamba ensured the Bees looked on course for a seventh away win of the season with a 47th-minute opener, but a Ben Coker own goal with 10 minutes left saw the Fleet collect a well-deserved point.

“We didn’t put the game to bed,” moaned Barnet boss Dean Brennan, whose team had lost their last four league games.

“Days like today are really frustrating as I thought we were the better side throughout the majority of the game against a technical team that have a lot of phases. For us to concede the goal we did is really frustrating.”

Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb said: “If we took our chances in the first half we would have been 2-0 up and it was a different game.

“We conceded a stupid goal but we’ll take a point and move on. It’s a tough challenge for us.

“We need to make sure that we work as a team relentlessly and then we’ll always create chances.”

The previous meeting between the two teams saw five goals and a host of chances, but this was a more subdued affair, reflective of Ebbsfleet’s desire to tighten up one of the division’s leakiest defences.

Both sides hit the woodwork in the first half. Barnet’s Dale Gorman saw his effort deflected onto the crossbar by a Fleet defender on 13 minutes, while Ebbsfleet striker Dominic Poleon crashed a shot against the inside of the post from a Greg Cundle centre just past the half-hour.

Ebbsfleet also went close when Dominic Samuel collected a Cundle cross and drilled his 20-yard shot inches wide of the upright.

The visitors nearly went ahead just two minutes before the break but a swift move after winning the ball high up the pitch saw Harry Pritchard denied by a magnificent save from Ebbsfleet keeper Mark Cousins.

The resulting corner by the returning Coker found Pritchard at the near post but he headed over.

It took Barnet just two minutes of the second half to get their noses in front. Pritchard nodded the ball down for Kabamba, who turned in the box and fired home his 19th goal of the season.

And the visitors thought they had added a second with 17 minutes left when Kabamba headed in a Gorman cross from the right wing but the offside flag cut short their celebrations.

It was to prove a turning point as Ebbsfleet kept themselves in the contest and duly equalised on 80 minutes. Excellent work by Samuel saw him cross into the danger zone the ball was diverted into his own net by Coker.

There was nearly time for an Ebbsfleet winner late on but Joe Martin headed wide from a Josh Wright corner with three minutes remaining.