FC Halifax Town beat Ebbsfleet United on the road to claim their second win of the season.
Town manager Chris Millington came into today’s game naming an unchanged eleven, looking to record a second win of the 24/25 season against bottom-of-the table Ebbsfleet.
It took just two and a half minutes for the opening goal of the game. Jamie Cooke found a yard of space to get a shot off, which deflected into the path of Angelo Cappello, who slotted the ball away beautifully for 1-0 Halifax.
The game showed no sign of slowing down as Ebbsfleet looked to respond immediately. The ball fell kindly for Dominic Poleon, whose effort was eventually cleared by the Halifax defence.
It was a windy afternoon at the Kuflink stadium, as both teams looked to keep the ball on the ground to avoid the hazardous conditions.
The away side were showing the most intent in this fixture in the early stages. A snapshot from Andrew Oluwabori was smartly saved by the Fleet keeper on the twenty-minute mark after a brilliant run from Adan George.
Florent Hoti was the latest Town player to take aim at the home side’s goal, but his effort from the edge of the box rose narrowly high and wide.
Ebbsfleet did warm into the contest towards the back end of the first half. A whipped ball in from Jephte Tanga was dealt with well from Adam Senior before any Fleet attacker could get on the end of it. Moments later Tyler Cordner whipped in a dangerous ball himself; however, it was just out of reach of centre-back partner Thomas Dallison.
That spell of Ebbsfleet pressure was eventually ended as the referee blew up for halftime after one minute of additional time was played.
The first chance of the second half came the Shaymen’s way. George found space on the right side of the box before dragging on effort just wide of the left post.
In a second half of very few chances, Cooke perhaps had the best one. A brilliantly delivered Adam Senior cross was met by the head of Cooke, who could only find the side netting.
Unlike the first half, the second was flat. Neither team managed to get a real foothold in the affair. Halifax did well in slowing the game down, completely killing any Fleet momentum.
The travelling Town fans were convinced their side had doubled their lead when substitute Max Wright smashed a volley into the side net on the seventy-fifth minute mark.
The home side pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages as a dangerous corner ball was followed by a troubling cross, which Halifax just about dealt with.
Adam Adetoro was pivotal in keeping the game in favour of the away side. He was colossal at the back, blocking and clearing everything that entered his area.
Five minutes were added at the end of the second half. For Halifax to hang on, this was made an arduous task due to Cooke’s late dismissal after two yellow cards in five minutes.
Ebbsfleet thought they had won it late on when Craig Tanner’s cross nearly snuck into Sam Johnson’s net, but much to the delight of the Shaymen, the referee had seen enough and blew his whistle to put an end to the contest.
It was hard at times, but Halifax were good value for their second win of the season and first on the road.
Town are back in action next Saturday with a trip to Hartlepool United, 3pm kick-off
Ebbsfleet United
1 Mark Cousins, 8 Jim Kellerman (16 Franklin Domi 63), 4 Josh Wright ©, 10 Wesley Fonguck (17 Toby Edser 57), 3 Lewis Page (22 Ben Chapman 71), 15 Gregory Cundle (18 Charles Ondo 57), 14 Dominic Poleon, 26 Tom Dallison-Lisbon, 5 Tyler Cordner, 20 Giles Phillips (27 Craig Tanner 75), 19 Jephte Tanga
Subs: 30 Dylan Berry, 2 Luke O’Neill
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson, 5 Adam Senior, 15 Will Smith, 27 Adam Adetoro, 11 Angelo Cappello (3 Ryan Galvin 81), 26 Owen Bray (23 Tom Pugh 85), 6 Jack Evans, 18 Florent Hoti, 22 Andrew Oluwabori (21 Zak Ermmerson 76), 10 Jamie Cooke, 19 Adan George (7 Max Wright 68)
Subs: 12 Nathaniel Ford, 4 Festus Arthur, 20 Jack Jenkins
Referee: Stuart Morland
Goals: Cappello 3
Yellow Cards: Cordner 51, Senior 52, Kellerman 59, Dallison-Lisbon 83, Cooke 87
Red Cards: Cooke 90 + 1
Attendance: 1379
Ebbsfleet United 0 FC Halifax Town 1
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