An unchanged FC Halifax Town side fell to a 4-0 loss away to Ebbsfleet United following two goals from Michael Cheek Chris Bush and Danny Kedwell.
Manager Jamie Fullarton named an unchanged starting 11 to the team that won midweek. However, they were unable to replicate the performance against the National League side.
The opening period was quite even until the 24th minute. A long throw from Chris Bush bounced the Town area and was put past Sam Johnson by Michael Cheek. Immediately every town player appealed for handball, however the referee was having none of it.
It took only 16 minutes for the home side to double their lead. Matty Kosylo giving away a free kick on the edge of the area was put away by Chris Bush. It was a well worked set-piece as Kedwell faked a run up before Bush put it into the top corner.
Halifax went into the break having created few chances and straight away were on the back foot. After a scramble in the box, an Ebbsfleet player went down and the referee blew for a penalty. Up stepped Kedwell who went straight down the middle with Johnson diving to the right.
Jonny Edwards came on for Cameron King in the 59th minute however lasted just 17 minutes as he was forced to go off with a back injury.
The Shaymen began to grow into the game with a few corners and some shots narrowly missing the target. Despite this, the final nail in the coffin came in 91st minute when another Bush free kick was hoofed into the box, headed across goal by Dave Winfield, before Michael Cheek headed home to get his second.
Halifax will look to next Saturday where they face AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup Second round, 12.30pm kick-off
1 Nathan Ashmore, 19 Chris Bush, 5 Dave Winfield, 10 Andy Drury, 2 Jack King, 23 Lawrie Wilson, 16 Jack Payne, 11 Myles Weston (22 Bagasan Graham 74), 18 Corey Whiteley, 12 Michael Cheek, 9 Danny Kedwell (24 Reise Allassani 80)
Subs: 8 Ebou Adams, 13 Jonathan Miles, 15 Luke Coulson,
1 Sam Johnson, 3 Ryan Sellers, 4 Nathan Clarke, 5 Matty Brown ©, 6 Josh Staunton, 7 Matty Kosylo, 8 Cameron King (10 Jonathan Edwards 59 – Sanmi Odelusi 75)), 9 Dayle Southwell, 19 Jordan Preston, 31 Niall Maher, 40 Jacob Hanson
Subs: 2 Michael Duckworth, 21 Shaun Rowley, 39 Joe Skarz
Goals: Cheek 24, 90, Bush 40, Kedwell 47
Yellow Cards: Kosylo 39, Staunton 90
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 1104
Ebbsfleet United 4 FC Halifax Town 0
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