Despite the visitors playing the best part of an hour with ten men after ‘keeper Preston Edwards saw red, United could not break down the big spending Kent side and fell to a two goal defeat courtesy of strike towards the end of each half from Charlie Sheringham and Anthony Cook respectively.

United started well against the Kent side and almost took the lead in just the second minute. Matty Harriott fed the ball left to debutant Louis-Rae Beadle, a midweek signing from Staines Town, and he shifted down the left before firing a low cross to the near post that saw ‘keeper Preston Edwards and Kenny Clark get in a tangle before the latter poked the ball out for a corner as Matt Ruby slid in.

Still inside the opening ten minutes, Dan Wishart ran at the Ebbsfleet defence only to be unceremoniously blocked off by Anthony Acheampong, referee Yianni played an excellent advantage as the ball ran to Harriott who saw his shot blocked away by Preston before being cleared and once out of play the referee called Acheampong to him and cautioned him for the earlier offence.

Five minutes later it was United keeper Calum Kitscha who had to be at his reactive best when Billy Bricknell’s cross from the left was glanced on by Dean Inman with the out-coming keeper grabbing the ball in his stride as he came out for the cross.

Just past the half hour mark controversy reined as a long clearance from Matt Ruby saw ‘Fleet ‘keeper Edwards misjudge his catch, taking the ball just outside his 18 yard box under pressure from Harriott (pictured above), and after consulting with his assistant, referee Yianni showed the stopper a red card. Ebbsfleet immediately made a change with Billy Bricknell being brought off to be replaced by former United ‘keeper Brandon Hall.

The free-kick from the edge of the box was smashed through the wall by Gary MacDonald, the ball taking a deflection off Clark for a corner. Dan Wishart’s deep corner was met by Dean Inman at the far post but his header was just too high to trouble Hall.

Then just a minute before the break the ten men took the lead. A long ball upfield from Joe Howe was laid back to Alex Osborn by Charlie Sheringham, Osborn ran at the United defence before slipping the ball back to Sheringham who fired past Kitscha into the far corner, a strike that his watching father Teddy would have been proud of in his playing days.

There was still time for one further United opening as the half closed out when Cox got his head to a deep Adam Everitt cross but again the effort went over the crossbar.

Manager Phil Babb put another attacking player on at the break with Rhys Murrell-Williamson replacing holding midfielder MacDonald as United looked to hit back quickly.

The first chance did come to the home side as a weak back-pass to Hall saw Beadle arrived in time to block the clearance only for the ball to go flying out of play wide of the vacant Ebbsfleet goal.

Not surprisingly most of the chances in the half fell to the home side but the ball just would not go in due to some stubborn defending by the visitors, especially the two centre-halves, Acheampong and Clark.

A quarter of the game remained and United’s best opening of the half thus far came from a Harriott run down the left side of the area, his low centre was flicked goalwards by the boot of Cox only for the diving Hall to almost reach behind himself to make an excellent grab.

With 12 minutes remaining Harriott collected a short free-kick from Everitt, advanced and took a chance from 25 yards catching Hall flat footed only for his effort glance wide off the outside of the left upright.

Five minutes later United were caught on the classic counter attack as a goal kick from Hall was flicked on by Sheringham to Cook who moved to his right before hitting a rasping drive from 18 yards that gave Kitscha no chance in the United goal.

Still United continued to press though, Harriott saw a dipping effort from 25 yards well tipped over by Hall and then new signing Cliff Akurang met a Wishart cross but as seemed to be the case today for United, his effort was too high.

As stoppage time arrived the scoreline could have gone further awry when Cook again cut in from the left, this time Kitscha did well to touch away his effort but it was game over and the points went back to Kent.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Andy Corbett.

United Man of the Match: Matty Harriott.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.