Tonbridge (0) 0
Ebbsfleet United (0) 2 Willmott 85, 90
Attendance: 305
Entrance: Senior £4
Programme: 50p
Mileage: 38/276
Match Report
The resources of Ebbsfleet are well documented and the subject of a certain amount of jealousy and mirth that Dr Abdulla Al Humaidi’s investment has not produced instant success. But there were signs in the second half of this game that the most recent incumbent of the managerial hot seat, Daryl McMahon, is managing to fit round pegs into round holes and subsequently a considerably more cohesive unit is evolving than under Steve Brown or Jamie Day.
For the first 45 minutes, it looked a case of same old; same old for Ebbsfleet as Tonbridge forced the pace and asked a good deal more of the visitor’s new custodian, Jon Miles, than Anthony Di Barnado between the Angels’ sticks.
Miles had to be at his very best to acrobatically turn over a drive from Nick Wheeler that was headed for the top corner after 20 minutes, having previously watched on as a header from Nathan Elder was cleared from the line by Dean Rance.
Di Bernado saved well from Matt Godden but the 22-year-old Ebbsfleet keeper, brought in by McMahon, from Tottenham, where he played in the same youth team as Harry Kane, was by far the busier, brilliantly turning away a Tom Parkinson header and then watching thankfully as Tom Whitnell and Elder spurned good chances before the break.
The introduction of two more of McMahon’s summer signings, Jordan Parkes and John Paul Kissock swung the game in favour of the Conference South side in the second half. Parkes, last season’s Conference South Player of the Year following his 30 goal haul (from midfield) for Hemel Hempstead is a class act and one that could have been wearing Gillingham’s colours had a trial period ended with his signature a couple of years back. Kissock, signed from Macclesfield, from where he spent a loan period at Oldham Athletic last season, was the lynchpin of a midfield that was outfought in their first half absence but became dominant in the second.
Tonbridge certainly deserved something out of the game but with five minutes remaining Parkes found the head of Willmot with a pin-point cross to the far post from where the striker executed a bullet header that gave Di Bernado absolutely no chance.
With almost the last kick of the game, Willmott’s driven shot gave Ebbsfleet a flattering scoreline after Parkes had fed him a pass to the left side of the six yard box.
Both sets of supporters would have left Longmead quietly satisfied with their club’s performance on the night and their expectations for the coming season. As said previously, like a broken record I’m afraid, Tonbridge’s hopes are going to rest on finding a 20 goal striker of their own, whilst Ebbsfleet can afford the luxury of having Danny Kedwell coming off the bench for a 20 minute cameo.
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