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Ebbsfleet United 6 Welling United 0 match report: Sixth National League South win in a row for Ebbsfleet

16:45, 20 November 2021

updated: 19:42, 21 November 2021

Ebbsfleet displayed their title credentials by blowing away Welling in a stunning first-half demolition on Saturday.

Doubles by Rakish Bingham and Craig Tanner plus a wonderful Alfie Egan strike saw them race into a 5-0 lead as Fleet made it six National League South wins in a row for Dennis Kutrieb's side.

Fleet double up to thwart Welling on Saturday. Picture: Dave Budden (53212040)
Fleet double up to thwart Welling on Saturday. Picture: Dave Budden (53212040)

This was on a par, if not better, than the opening day thrashing of Tonbridge Angels.

The Wings' confidence has been restored under Peter Taylor but their defensive shortcomings were quickly exposed by a rampant Ebbsfleet team.

By half-time, the strikeforce of Bingham and Dominic Poleon had taken their league tally for the campaign to 15 between them - as many as Welling had scored in the entire season.

It took less than a minute for Ebbsfleet to take the lead. Poleon's right-foot shot came back off the post, Welling keeper Jack Sims denied Tanner and then when Welling failed to clear, Tanner latched onto the loose ball and fired home through a crowded six-yard box.

Tanner played in Bingham for the second after 10 minutes, the Fleet striker producing a neat right-foot finish.

Poleon was denied by the highly-rated Sims and then saw his long-range shot deflected just wide of the upright.

It was one-way traffic and it was no surprise that Fleet added a third on 24 minutes. Tobi Adebayo-Rowling's near-post shot was blocked by Sims but Bingham took on the rebound first time, his tremendous left-foot effort nestling in the top corner.

Welling responded when Kristian Campbell played in Bradley Stevenson but the lone striker's effort lacked any power to seriously trouble keeper Chris Haigh.

Fleet's dominance was underlined with two goals in as many minutes before the break.

A potential foul on Welling defender Maxwell Statham off the ball was missed by the officials, and that allowed Greg Cundle to race down the left and cross for Tanner to nearly finish on 38 minutes.

Then a short corner found Egan at the edge of the area and he arrowed a stunning strike into the top corner.

Welling went close in first-half stoppage time but Haigh produced an excellent flying save to tip behind Campbell's 25-yard free-kick.

The visitors went to five at the back in the second half following a double half-time change.

But there was a familiar pattern as the Fleet continued to pour forward. Adebayo-Rowling's rebound was ruled out for offside and Sido Jombati's close-range attempt was cleared off the line.

Fleet's dominance afforded them the luxury of a double change just past the hour with one eye on a midweek game against Maidstone no doubt.

Substitute Michael West shot wide, Welling survived a goalmouth scramble and then West's right-foot shot curled the wrong side of the upright.

Welling's misery was complete in the 89th minute when substitute Elliott Romain found the bottom corner from 20 yards.

It's been 5-1 and 6-0 scorelines in two home derbies so far for Ebbsfleet. Tuesday's visitors, Maidstone, have been suitably warned.

Ebbsfleet: Haigh, Adebayo-Rowling, J Martin, Jombati, Chapman, Cundle, Egan, Solly (Krasniqi 62mins), Tanner (West 74mins), Bingham (Romain 62mins), Poleon. Subs not used: Firth, Kahraman.

Welling: Sims, Ezennolim (Muscatt 46mins), Barnes, Statham, Pearce (Stewart 46mins), Shokunbi (Ilic 71mins), Durojaiye, Campbell, Penney, Krabbendam, Stevenson. Subs not used: Carr, Richards.

Referee: Oliver Mackey.

Attendance: 1,302.

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