Ebbsfleet United strikers Ben May and Michael Thalassitis having to wait their turn for a game
08:00, 11 April 2014
Ebbsfleet’s strikers might not like being rotated but the last two weeks have vindicated Steve Brown’s decision to tinker with his forward line.
Ben May impressed in the Fleet’s 2-0 win at Gosport on March 27 but was dropped for their home game against Tonbridge less than 48 hours later.
His replacement, Stevenage loanee Michael Thalassitis, scored the only goal that day – only to be left on the bench at Staines on Saturday.
But again the Fleet manager got it right as the returning May netted for the 11th time this season in a 1-1 draw.
May said: "I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen, in terms of was I on the bench or was I playing? I wanted to play because I played down at Gosport and felt I played well. Then the manager said he was going to rest me for the Saturday, so I was a bit gutted with that.
"He pulled me in before the game and said ‘I’m looking after your legs’. To be honest, I felt good, even though it was only a few hours before that we’d got back from Gosport. I’m not one to go and sit behind his back, I told him I wanted to play and wasn’t happy with the decision.
"But it was a good decision in the end because Thala went and scored. On Saturday, he put me back in which I was pleased with."
May, Thalassitis and Billy Bricknell have scored 41 goals between them in all competitions and they’ll each have played a key role if Ebbsfleet do get promoted.
Brown said: "I’m happy when I can change things like that. I can leave someone out and bring another player in. It means we’ve got strong competition for places.
"Ben did fantastic down at Gosport and harshly got left out, 30 hours later. I put in Thalassitis and he scored. Thalassitis could argue that he was harshly left out at Staines but Ben’s come in and scored.
"It’s about reacting the right way for the squad. Ben reacted brilliantly and Michael Thalassitis reacted brilliantly on Saturday.
"Michael’s 20 and he’s growing up and learning. He’s accepting things a lot more than he did at the start of the season and he’s got to know that he’ll get game time."
