Ebbsfleet Match Preview
Following Ebbsfleet?s dramatic comeback at Kingfield on Saturday Phil Gilchrist takes his side back to Stonebridge Road for the replay and, with a 1st Round Proper tie against Crewe Alexandra beckoning, there will surely be an extra bite to the match on Tuesday. Can Colin Miles inspire his team to go on the kind of cup run of yesteryear?
Please go and support the Cards at Stonebridge Road.
Tuesday 28th October 2008
Ebbsfleet United vs. Woking
The FA Cup, 4th Qualifying Round Replay
Stonebridge Road, k.o. 7.45pm
INTRODUCING EBBSFLEET UNITED
Since February 2008, Ebbsfleet United has been owned by the web-based venture MyFootballClub, whose members may vote on team selection and player transfers, instead of those decisions being made exclusively by the club's management and staff as at most other clubs. Liam Daish?s club from Stonebridge Road have made a fairly good fist of it last season, though, winning the FA Trophy and only just falling short of the Blue Square Premier play-offs last season.
WHO WE?RE UP AGAINST
Liam Daish?s team have been on a terrible run of form lately, picking up just three points from their last five matches. With Lance Cronin almost an ever-present in The Fleet?s goal this season, their defence is anchored by Darius Charles. Making over 40 appearances for Brentford in The League, Darius signed on loan for The Fleet in March 2008 and, after impressing in the nine games he played, Liam Daish made a move to sign him in the close season, striking a deal for a season-long loan with Brentford in June 2008.
Ex-Card Neil Barrett is pivotal in the Ebbsfleet midfield and has experience playing in both the Portsmouth (23 times) and Dundee United (40 times) first teams since 2001. Along with 23 year-old winger Stacy Long, Ebbsfleet will look to utilise Barrett?s skill to try and penetrate the Woking defence. Up front, Michael Gash and Luke Moore tend to start for The Fleet following the sale of John Akinde to Bristol City.
By the looks of things, The Fleet like to play a very direct style of football with lots of crosses coming in from deep and peppering the heads of the Cards? defence.
WHAT PHIL SAID
?We played there long ago and got beaten 2-0 but my side was different then. Apart from two minutes of madness, we?d have come away from there comfortably with a draw.?
?We need to go there now and be as positive as we were today. Hopefully we?ll get better decisions... and stick our chances away like we did today [Saturday].?
(BBC Southern Counties Radio)
WOKING TEAM NEWS
Woking have been told by Millwall that on-loan goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley isn?t available for FA Cup selection so the Cards? second on-loan keeper of the season Carl Pentney will almost certainly start for the second time in four days. Goma Lambu missed the match on Saturday so is doubtful for the replay. However, Phil Gilchrist should have an otherwise fully fit squad to choose from, including Danny Bunce, who was back on the bench against Ebbsfleet.
LAST TIME ROUND
Ebbsfleet 2-0 Woking (20th September 2008)
This was always going to be a tough trip for the Cards. Woking had never won at Stonebridge Road in the league and the Fleet were unbeaten at home this season. A very solid defensive display in the first half encouraged hopes that we might get a point but it all went wrong in one minute?s lack of concentration in the second half, when we shipped two goals, and our inability to create chances or put them away meant that we never looked like recovering from that scoreline.
Suddenly, Woking?s hitherto sound defence cracked. A back-header from Tom Hutchinson fell between the back three and Lenny, and Kwesi Appiah, who?d barely been on the pitch for a minute, nipped in and looped a header over the keeper to give the Fleet a 1-0 lead. No sooner had the game started than it was 2-0. A swift attack down the Woking left saw the ball centred and ex-Card Neil Barrett slid in to finish cleanly past Pidgeley.
This result kept Woking firmly in the bottom four and sent the large travelling Woking contingent very unhappy after Phil Gilchrist?s third game in temporary charge.
Woking: Lenny Pidgeley, Paul Lorraine, Tom Hutchinson, Colin Miles, Goma Lambu, Liam Marum (Sam-Yorke), Giuseppe Sole, Danny Bunce (Patrice Konan), Joel Ledgister (Manny Williams) Wilfried Domoraud.
LAST TIME OUT
Woking 2-2 Ebbsfleet (25th October 2008)
Two early breakaway goals from Woking ensured that they went into the second half on Saturday with a two goal cushion. However, two penalties from Luke Moore within four minutes of each other ensured that the tie would be taken to a replay.
Wilfired Domoraud had earlier slotted home for the Cards, latching onto a Joel Ledgister through ball only for Woking?s lead to be doubled moments later when Liam Marum skilfully took the ball around Lance Cronin in the Ebbsfleet goal.
Woking : Carl Pentney, Patrice Konan, Paul Lorraine, Tom Hutchinson, Colin Miles, Bradley Quamina, Joel Ledgister, Paolo Vernazza, Abdou El Kholti (Giuseppe Sole, 83), Liam Marum (Daniel Spence, 77), Wilfried Domoraud
FORM GUIDE (last five games)
Woking : WDLDD
Histon: 1-0 WON , Mansfield: 1-0 WON , Weymouth: 1-1 DREW , York: 0-2 LOST , Grays: 1-1 DREW, Ebbsfleet: 2-2 DREW
Ebbsfleet United: LLLLD
Altrincham: 0-2 LOST , Histon: 0-1 LOST , Kidderminster Harriers: 1-3 LOST , Torquay: 0-2 LOST, Woking : 2-2 DREW
TRAVEL INFO
See Travel Pack information on the right hand side of the screen.
Come on, you Cards!
