Ebbsfleet United V Chester FC MATCH THREAD

CHRONICLE HAS A GREAT REPORT:

'But against the run of play Akintunde broke free and found White 30 yards out, with the Chester striker looking up to see Fleet keeper Nathan Ashmore well off his line and back-peddling. White curled a low effort that found its way past a stranded Ashmore and into the back of the net for his first goal in a Blues shirt'

I know I am 😆.

Most seasons, we're ok until Christmas, then dismal after the New Year. Maybe this season could be the other way round for a change?

Listening to Seals Live was comedy gold! They had a few right moaners who wouldn't shut up! You sometimes wonder why people like that bother turning up.

Great win. Gives us hope.

Sounds like the penny has dropped a little bit over the last 2 games of what we need to do to compete: a familiar system, organisation and total commitment. In both games, whilst we've surrendered possession, it doesn't sound like they've actually been slicing through us at ease.

We needed that today, and there's a huge battle ahead, but at least it sounds like we're sorting ourselves out and beginning to believe. Exactly the same at Fylde on Tuesday and you just never know.

Superb from the lads today, struggled for quality but ground it out through sheer guts and determination. It does make me wonder where this has been in the last few weeks but the last two performances give me some hope. If the players put in that level of effort every week, we'll give ourselves a fighting chance. Pleased for White, he's had some criticism on here (justified) but hasn't been fully fit all season and that will give him confidence - he needed that. Ran his socks off all afternoon.
Everyone gave 100%, special mentions for Halls, Astles, Shaw and Turnbull who kept us solid all the way through. Turnbull could be crucial for us, he's had a couple of brilliant games this season and we've been much better the last two games with him in the side. I like his attitude on the pitch, he gives his all and with his experience I think he'll be important together with Shaw. We are so much better with a flat back 4 and hopefully Bignot keeps it like that.
Still a big ask to stay up, but if the players keep putting in that sort of effort then I can't complain at all.
Looking forward to Fylde now, they are on form but we're unbeaten this year too and no reason why we can't get something from there!

Astles named in NLP Team of the Day

Found a video one of their fans has made. Misses the goal, sadly.



They seem a bloody weird lot! What's that bloke losing his shit over around the 13:30 mark? And constant chants of "is that all you take away?" How many do friggin Ebbsfleet bring up here?

Too many clubs in this league from wealthy Home Counties areas that are full of rich buggers happy to bankroll them.

Their manager is a complete tool. Watched them at Truro last season and his behaviour on the sidelines that day was embarrassing. All mouth.

They were an odd bunch mate. Singing “you’re fucking shitttt!” whilst we were winning!

They are an odd bunch down that neck of the woods. Nearby Gillingham had a lot of similarities. They really screech as if their crown jewels are crushed in a vice. I remember a Gillingham screecher wailing repeatedly "You ain't going up Chistah!" throughout the match the season we went up from what's now league two.

Listening on Seals Live today, God did they whinge, I think I finally found a club whose fans moan more than Chester fans. Faack this and Faack that throughout the game.

I was sat amongst Ebbsfleet fans throughout the game and one constant thing I overheard from four or five people was that “We wanted it more”. Music to my ears that, especially after witnessing a few really uninspiring horror shows recently.

Daryl McMahon has been spouting complete shite after the game, four up by half time? Bollocks. They had one good effort which was flicked just over the bar before half time. They had a few decent efforts during the second half as we sat back and they came forward but they didn’t do enough, their fans near me were moaning throughout about how rubbish they’d been.

Our goal was well taken by White, there was a mix up at the back with them and Aki put White through who placed an effort in nicely with their keeper off his line. I thought we’d fared quite nicely up until then as well, we’d been passing the ball around comfortably and Aki was coming forward with purpose, I was really surprised to check twitter straight after the goal to suggest it was against the run of play, the game being described didn’t feel like the one I was watching. We sat back after that and soaked up pressure although I thought we started well after half time as well, shading possession for 15 minutes.

Haven’t seen him get much of a mention but Akintunde was class I thought, as he was on Monday. He’s the only player we have who can create something for himself and was doing it all afternoon again. Bignot keeps subbing him early, not sure why, he actually holds the ball up really well despite not being the biggest. Hornby was the but of a lot of jokes from the home crowd after screwing several kicks straight out of play but he pulled off an outstanding save late on to keep us ahead. The Ebbsfleet fans around me thought Halls was our best performer at centre back, he did have a good game to be fair. I think Turnbull makes a quiet difference as well.

Very strange home support, moaned throughout and then after being silent during the first half they all suddenly frothed at the mouth at seeing a group of our fans come down their end for the second half. They were chanting ‘You let your club die’ and ‘Is that all you take away’, and like most southerners referred to us as ‘Chistah’. Weird. The open terrace at one end was closed for the first time today as it’s the next part of their redevelopment. Speaking of which, that new stand which they’ve spent a few million on is a huge waste of money, a poorly laid out mess.

It was a very determined and spirited performance, not much quality on show but we do look a very different team to the one that trudged off at Halifax two weeks ago. Although we have no natural wide players on the pitch we do look a hell of a lot improved for switching back to 4-4-2. Should have had six points this week, nothing we can do about that now, just have to go at Fylde next!

How can our game plan not work when we won the game?

Highlights now on National League site

Great work from Akintunde for the goal, similar to his assist against Guiseley. Not sure what the keeper was doing but it's a nice confident finish from White - you wouldn't know he hadn't scored yet this season watching that.

For their manager to say we didn't have to work for that goal is nonsense. It's defence to attack with a few neat touches and some intelligent running.

Great save from Hornby near the end as well!