Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Stevenage Borough - They gave me everything, says crestfallen Daish

EBBSFLEET UNITED 0-1 STEVENAGE BOROUGH
(Stevenage Borough win 4-2 on aggregate)
FA Carlsberg Trophy Semi-Final Second Leg
Saturday 21^st March 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Stonebridge Road

AFTER EXPERIENCING the highs of winning the FA Carlsberg Trophy at Wembley Stadium last May, Ebbsfleet United suffered the devastating feeling of losing this semi-final to Stevenage Borough.

A crowd of 3,008 crammed into Stonebridge Road in the hope that The Fleet would claw back the one-goal deficit to level the tie on aggregate.

But despite their brave efforts, they found Stevenage Borough were going to be a tough nut to crack and Graham Westley’s side, now unbeaten in 21 games at the final whistle, booked their Wembley place and will face York City at the home of English football.

For Ebbsfleet United and AFC Telford, they share the same gloom as they reflect on what might have been.

But give the Kent side their credit, they threw the kitchen sink at Stevenage Borough, but the damage had been done during the first half at Broadhall Way seven days ago.

Borough raced into a 2-0 lead through a Steve Morrison header - his 27^th goal of the season - and a Lee Boylan drive, as the Fleet’s defence went missing.

But Ebbsfleet United showed their character to fight back; Neil Barrett, who broke his jaw in the process, headed home to give them hope, and Stacy Long scored from a stunning dipping strike, but the killer blow came nine minutes from time when David Bridges headed home the Stevenage winner.

So, an early goal here at Stonebridge Road was vital, and as referee Simon Hooper, who was excellent throughout, blew the first whistle, the Fleet went in search of that crucial goal.

Roared on by an expectant crowd, the Fleet threw the kitchen sink at Stevenage, who soaked up all the pressure that came their way.

Fleet’s early chances, sadly, were only half-chances, as Stevenage had plenty of bodies in front of goalkeeper Chris Day, who excelled in the second half.

After one-way traffic in the opening twenty minutes, Ebbsfleet United goalkeeper made his first save of the game when he dived low to his right to prevent Lee Boylan scoring from a right-footed half-volley, following Andy Drury’s corner from the right.

Then, on the half-hour mark, after play was held up as Boylan received treatment, Lawrie Wilson’s free-kick was floated into the Fleet penalty area and James Smith, who was excellent throughout, headed the ball clear and the ball was played out to Boylan, who was in space down the right, and his floated right-footed cross found Mitchell Cole lurking at the far post and his right-footed volley was comfortably saved by Cronin at his near post.

With Ebbsfleet pressing, Stevenage were having the better of the chances on the break, and Cronin made another comfortable save in the 40^th minute from Cole’s right-footed angled drive from the left.

Morrison did have the ball in the Fleet’s goal just before the break, but he had already been adjudged to have been in an offside position when he lifted the ball over Cronin and into the roof of an empty net.

Having prevented the Fleet scoring the goal they craved, Stevenage came out with all guns blazing and went close after just 36 seconds into the second period.

Boylan’s hook bounced through the Fleet defence for Drury and his driven shot crashed just past the near post and nestled behind the goal.

Luck was not going Fleet’s way. After Drury, who caused them problems during the one-sided first half in the first leg, hobbled off through injury, Fleet released winger Ricky Shakes down the right and after cutting inside, he rolled his shot towards goal, but the ball clipped off Luke Moore’s heels into Day’s grateful arms.

But home-grown Moore almost scored the goal that would have taken the roofs of Stonebridge Road on the hour mark, which, as a result, increased the atmosphere.

Guiseppe Sole stroked the ball in behind the Stevenage defence and Moore turned and lashed a right-footed drive agonisingly over the top of the right-hand post.

Nine minutes later, desperate Fleet went closer. With Sole now on the bench, a free-kick from 30-yards was chipped into the Stevenage penalty area by Long and French full-back Sacha Opinel headed the ball towards goal, which bounced off a defender and dropped nicely for Leon Crooks, whose right-footed drive flashed agonisingly past the far post.

Day made his best save of the two-ties in the 73^rd minute.

Michael Gash sped past the full-back down the Fleet’s left and his low centre was flicked on by substitute Luis Cumbers at the near post into Long’s path, but the midfielder, who made a late run into the box, cracked a stunning right-footed drive which was superbly tipped over by the diving goalkeeper.

Day then used his legs to prevent Long getting on the end of Moore’s low centre from the left, but time was running out for the Kent side.

Stevenage almost grabbed victory on the breakaway with thirteen minutes left when Boylan cracked a stunning right-footed volley from 25-yards, which screamed past the far post.

Cumbers, who is currently on loan from Gillingham, had Ebbsfleet’s last chance inside stoppage time when his looping header, from Mark Ricketts’ cross, was plucked out of the air by Day, as the Stevenage fans behind him at the Swanscombe End celebrated.

But that sinking feeling arrived with just 51 seconds of injury time remaining, when Stevenage shattered our dreams of a return visit to Wembley, when they actually had the audacity to complete a smash-and-grab raid deep into injury time.

Stevenage substitute Peter Vincenti cut in from the right and drilled a left-footed shot across Cronin and into the bottom far corner.

The dream had died, and there was a huge gloomy cloud of disappointment hanging over Stonebridge Road at the final whistle as Stevenage celebrated their success with over 1,000 of their supporters who had made these two ties nail-biting to watch.

James Smith, a Trojan at the heart of the Fleet defence, whilst his team-mates tried in vain to get the goal they dearly wanted, summed up the mood in the camp at the final whistle.

“All the boys worked very hard, we’re devastated really,” Smith told www.kentishfootball.co.uk in a gloomy press conference afterwards.

“I thought we could’ve got something out of the game today, we were doing very well going forward, defending - just wasn’t to be.

“I felt we controlled the game quite well. It didn’t drop down for us, that final ball, basically.

“But I just don’t think it was meant to be today.”

Smith, who was a member of Ebbsfleet United’s Wembley winning team last May, expressed how he was feeling - like us really.

“I’m devastated, and I’m sure the rest of the boys are,” came his reply.

“Some of us have been there before and wanted to get back for the rest of the other boys as well that haven’t been there.

“I’m lost for words basically. We’ve tried so hard today, I think we played well. It just didn’t quite happen.”

After the post-mortem out on the pitch with his coaching staff, Fleet boss Liam Daish, who gave us that memorable day out at Wembley last season, was a crestfallen figure when he spoke about his huge disappointment.

“It wasn’t to be,” Daish told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I think to get to finals, and go and win, you need little breaks. It’s been hard work this Trophy this year what with losing key players through injury and even today, I couldn’t fault the players, they gave me everything.

“They’re probably tasting blood in their mouth, the amount they’ve given me today and I can’t ask for any more.

“We needed a break, a little bit of luck, you need a decision to go your way, you need something.”

Daish lost the services of Craig Stone at Wrexham in the quarter-finals and Barrett at Stevenage and his plans went out of the window when he lost Derek Duncan on the morning of this game.

“We just didn’t get that (luck) and when you co-ordinate that with the injuries we suffered, even today,” he bemoaned.

“We worked on a shape to play for the last two days (and) got a phone call early on from Derek Duncan, who was ready to start today.

“He was unfit to play, he’s got severe migraines, headaches and had some blurred vision and can’t play, you think is it our year?

“Again, with the opther two lads, Neil and Craig, there you go.”

But Daish added, “The lads are young enough to go on and hopefully have more opportunities like this to get themselves back in those finals.”

But despite his disappointment, Daish was very proud of his players.

“The togetherness, the work-rate from everyone today was just phenomenal, there’s nothing left in the tank,” he said.

“I do think if we had scored that goal, if we had scored that first goal, we would have won that because we had them, they were rocking.

“They can’t turn round and say they were in control of that game, we were very much in control of that game.”

Ebbsfleet United: Lance Cronin, Sacha Opinel, Leon Crooks, James Smith, Stacy Long, Michael Gash, Mark Ricketts, Ricky Shakes (George Purcell 83), Luke Moore, Darius Charles, Guiseppe Sole (Luis Cumbers 67).
Subs: Sam Mott, Danny Slatter, Jamie Stevens.

Booked: Luke Moore 56, Stacy Long 61

Stevenage Borough: Chris Day, Scott Laird, Michael Bostwick, Mark Roberts, Lawrie Wilson, Mitchell Cole, David Bridges, Darren Murphy (Gary Mills 73), Andy Drury (Mark Albrighton 53), Lee Boylan (Peter Vincenti 86), Steve Morrison.
Subs: Ashley Bayes, Callum Willock.

Goals: Peter Vincenti 90

Booked: Steve Morrison 87

Attendance: 3,008
Referee: Mr Simon Hooper (Swindon, Wiltshire)
Assistants: Mr Tim Robinson (Bognor Regis, West Sussex) & Mr Carl Fitch (Ipswich, Suffolk)
Fourth Official: Mr Rob Whitton