The only goal of the game from on-loan Daggers player Josh Scott proved too much for Hereford United to overcome as they fell to bottom placed Ebbsfleet at Stonebridge Road this evening.
Martin Foyle named an unchanged side following Saturday’s much improved performance against Lincoln.
Josh O’Keefe snatched at an early chance, as The Bulls were first to threaten. Ebbsfleet tried a couple of sorties down either flank the second of which required a clearance by Musa that left him with a twisted right knee that forced him to leave the field for a few minutes.
Carew was given far too much space to get a shot off but fortunately the effort was dragged wide. Chris Sharp rode a challenge deep in the Ebbsfleet box but the ball carried into touch. A through ball from Kingsley James brought a desperate hoof from home keeper Edwards that looked destined for the next departure from the nearby train station but the hosts were having the better of the possession in midfield.
In a rare attack along the ground, Watkins made good progress before laying back for Gallinagh to lift a cross into the box that forced a double save from Edwards. Stam had to be alert to clear a pair of decent crosses as the hosts continued to create the better opportunities although Bowman did get one shot on target from 12 yards that Edwards comfortably dealt with and O’Keefe saw one come back off the foot of the post.
The Bulls had a let-off on the half hour mark when a cross from Stone found Scott unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box but the free header went well over the bar. Then a couple more good chances were created by Ebbsfleet including one that was stabbed over the line only for the referee’s assistant to raise the flag and rescue the Bulls.
The respite didn’t last long as Scott lifted a through ball over Bittner and into the net on 35 minutes to give Ebbsfleet a lead that they had threatened since the opening skirmishes.
Far too many of The Bulls’ attempts to attack stemmed from long balls forward which the Ebbsfleet defence were able to return with interest and keep United under almost constant pressure with the midfield having little or no effect on the proceedings.
Apart from one effort that came back off the post midway through the half, The Bulls could have no complaints about being a goal down at the break as not for the first time this season they found themselves outnumbered and outplayed in the centre of the pitch.
HT Ebbsfleet 1 Bulls 0
Clucas showed better form to get behind the defence but the ball ran out for a goal kick. Musa was on the receiving end of a late challenge from Payne before Bowman earned a free kick just in the Ebbsfleet half from which Watkins’ hurried shot was cleared.
Ebbsfleet again took control of the game and Scott powered another header just over the bar and Stam was well placed to head another off the line. Barrett and Carew were running the midfield as The Bulls failed to press high enough up the pitch handing every second ball to the hosts.
The Bulls gave the ball away in midfield, Carew picked it up and again the Bulls were lucky to survive as the through ball just failed to reach Scott. Bowman created a half chance but was crowded out and the ball was cleared.
Jackson came on to replace Musa as Martin Foyle went with an extra attacker with just less than half an hour remaining. Payne made a break forward and Stam had to resort to a foul, which resulted in his fifth yellow of the season. Carew’s free kick from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner.
Jackson fed Watkins in acres of space but Edwards blocked his shot from inside the box when a goal looked certain. Jackson made run to get on the end of a through ball but an offside flag halted play. Watkins burst down the right to win a corner with fifteen minutes left. The corner was cleared but The Bulls were showing more intent as, for the first period of the match, The Bulls started to exert some sustained pressure.
Jackson got in a good position on the left but failed to get any service into the strikers. At the other end, Carew fed Payne and only a great challenge by Graham prevented a shooting chance as Ebbsfleet regained the initiative. With ten minutes remaining, Martin Foyle pushed Smikle into the action in place of Chris Sharp. Then, Chris Curruthers replaced a disappointing Kingsley James and duly collected a yellow from his first challenge.
Jackson fed Watkins who was brought down to give a fee kick to The Bulls but with every player bar Bittner in the box the cross sailed straight into the arms of Edwards.
Five minutes of added time was signalled as, again, The Bulls poured forward for a free kick but with Ebbsfleet on the back foot Smikle conceded an unnecessary free kick for pushing to relieve the pressure. Another Bulls’ free kick was launched into the box but it was cleared for a corner, which even Bittner was up for. O’Keefe got behind the back but Edwards was out to smother the final chance as the sixty odd Hereford fans in a gate of 614 were left to debate a below par performance from Hereford United.
FT Ebbsfleet 1 Bulls 0
Bulls: - Bittner, Gallinagh, Graham, Stam, Musa (Jackson 62), Watkins, O’Keefe, James (Curruthers 84), Clucas, Sharp (Smikle 83), Bowman. Unused: - McDonald, Heath.
Ebbsfleet: - Edwards, Lorraine, Gwillim, Saville, Stone, Howe (Bellamy83), Barrett, Carew, Marum (Azeez), Scott, Payne (Elder 89). Unused: - Menz, Walsh.
Sadly, The Bulls again conceded midfield to the opposition who opted to play with a player off the striker to create an extra man. Only for a brief ten-minute spell early in the second half did any sort of cohesion venture into The Bulls play and despite a late series of high balls into the home box Hereford did little to threaten.
Better on Saturday please.