Hayes & Yeading were totally outplayed by big budget Ebbsfleet United leading to a second five goal concession at home in just six days following the defeat at the hands of landlords Maidenhead on Bank Holiday Monday.

It was however Garry Haylock’s side who made the first opening in just the third minute. James Harper curled a free-kick into the ‘Fleet box, Emmanuel Monthe held the ball up before finding Adam Everitt 12 yards out, his shot being well blocked six yards from goal by Tom Bonner.

Minutes later and United were again the architects of their own downfall when a defensive header from Monthe went straight to ‘Fleet striker Matt Godden inside the area and he tucked the ball coolly past James Hamon’s dive.

United tried to respond immediately and when ‘Fleet ‘keeper Nathan Ashmore dropped a Darren Purse free-kick under pressure on the edge of his box, Shepherd Murombedzi attempted to lob the ball over him as he retreated but cleared the goal by some distance.

Within seconds the ball was down the other end and the visitors really should have been two up. Sean Shields broke away on the right, his low centre picking out Danny Kedwell in front of goal and with just Hamon to beat he totally missed his kick allowing Adetayo Osifuwa to chest the ball back to Hamon.

After a frantic start the game went into a real lull in respect of chances with the visitors controlling possession and United defending their lines without incident until we reached stoppage time when Shields lofted the ball over Purse for Godden to run on to, the striker smashing his shot against the near post before it flew off into the far side of the United net.

The Fleet started the second half as they had finished the first, in the ascendancy. A weak United clearance was played straight back to Godden who fired across the face of goal and wide of the far post, almost a warning shot across the bows for what was still to come from the former Scunthorpe striker.

Table topping Fleet continued to push for more, Hamon gathered a 20 yard Kedwell effort before being forced into a save again by Godden after excellent approach play from Bryan van den Bogaert and Jordan Parkes. This save sparked a rare United attack as the ball was played to Max Worsfold who made a solo run at the ‘Fleet defence before firing low for the far corner from 18 yards, Ashmore doing well to dive down to his left to save one handed before grabbing the loose ball.

Another Godden run almost produced a tap-in for Stuart Lewis only to be denied by an excellent Osifuwa interception six yards from the United goal after the ball had been played beyond Hamon. Numbers three, four and five inevitably came as the visitors piled on the agony for United’s beleaguered defence.

Godden completed his hat-trick in the 68th minute when he burst through alone down the middle, rounded Hamon and rolled the ball home, his fourth was only minutes away when an awful United free-kick in the ‘Fleet half was intercepted by van den Bogaert who raced away down the left before playing the ball across the park to Godden who fired instantly across Hamon into the far corner.

Gooden was soon replaced by ‘Fleet manager Daryl McMahon and it was his replacement Charlie Sheringham who finished off the visitors scoring in the 87th minute when his total miss-kick at the near post saw him convert a Lewis cross with Hamon diving the wrong way.

And that was that, a five goal thumping that leaves United once again teetering on the brink of relegation with just four games for Garry, his backroom team and the players to turn the current form around.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Brian Matthews.

United Man of the Match: Adam Everitt.

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