Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Woking - Daish praises his winning Crewe

The 25-year-old striker found the back off the Woking net with a right-footed screamer from 30-yards, settling a flat final qualifying round replay in front of the lowest crowd at Stonebridge Road this season.

Woking, one place above the drop zone in the Blue Square Premier table, rued their miss opportunity on Saturday, as they found themselves 2-0 up inside the opening nine minutes at Kingfield Stadium.

But the Fleet were grateful for two Luke Moore penalties to earn a second bite of the cherry and the Kent side finished the job off on home soil tonight to set up an exciting trip to Crewe Alexandra's Gresty Road.

They made just one change to their side that drew in Surrey, with Frenchman, Sacha Opinel coming in for Paul McCarthy, who watched the game from the stand.

Both goalkeepers were called into action, inside the opening eight minutes.

Woking stopper, Carl Pentney, was alert to parry a stabbed effort from Michal Gash, after his strike partner Ibe centred low from the left following a pacy run.

Then came shot-shy Woking’s best chance of the first half when Wilifried Domoraud got in behind the Fleet’s back-four, but his drilled shot from the left-hand side of the penalty area was blocked by Lance Cronin.

However, Ibe’s fourth goal of the season, sealed the victory with 19 minutes on the clock.

Captalising on a poor, scooped header from Woking defender, Tom Hutchinson, Ibe unleashed a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which sailed into the top right-hand corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

Half-way through the first half, Gash, with his back to goal, struck an over-head kick straight into Pentney’s grateful arms, following a long punt up field from Cronin, which dropped to the former Cambridge City striker inside the penalty box.

After Woking defender, Patrice Mondon-Konan became the first of four players to be booked, Stacy Long’s free-kick from the left was met by Ibe’s header, which he planted well wide of the left-hand post.

However, the flat first half, almost brought a second goal, two minutes before the break.

Saturday’s hero, Moore, who later went off on a stretcher with a minor shin injury, played in Gash, who unleashed a right-footed drive from 30-yards, but Pentney wasn’t going to be beaten from that distance again.

The Fleet created the first chance of the second half when Moore, cutting in from the right, floated in a cross to Ibe at the near post, but once again, the striker miss-directed his header.

Woking then enjoyed their best spell, but failed to take their chances.

A free-kick from Mondon-Kondan from the right, resulted in Bradley Quamina firing high over Cronin’s crossbar and then central defender, Paul Lorraine came up from his defensive duties to bring a comfortable save from Cronin, following Paulo Vernazza’s set-piece.

However, a mistake from Ebbsfleet’s central defender, James Smith, almost gifted Woking an equaliser after 64 minutes, but striker Liam Marum squandered his only opportunity of the game, Cronin comfortably saving his attempted lob.

As sleet fell from the sky at a freezing cold Stonebridge Road, it was the Kent side that tried to kill the game off but Gash, who was played in by Long, was denied by Pentney and Mark Rickett’s curling drifting effort, bounced agonisingly onto the crossbar.

Despite having to endure almost five and a half minutes of time added on, Woking didn’t trouble Cronin in the Ebbsfleet United goal and the Kent side can now look forward to a trip to Crewe Alexandra in the first round proper.

“Yes, I’m delighted to be in the next round,” a proud Fleet boss, Liam Daish, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I’ve cast my mind back to where I was ten minutes into the game on Saturday and to be fair we stood up Saturday - we had a go at it.

“I felt the lads were a little bit nervous to start off with (tonight), but we settled down and scored a great goal and defended very well (during the) second half.

“They (Woking) started brightly, they were right up for it and it was a proper Cup tie (as) both teams wanted to get through and there wasn’t much space out there to play.

“We’ve played winning football today. I said to the lads on Saturday we’re not here to entertain. We want to get through to the next round.

“I think second half we played winning football.”

Daish, who guided the Fleet to FA Trophy glory at Wembley Stadium last May, heaped plenty of praise on his players, starting with match winner Ibe.

“To be fair to him, he’s kept his head down and worked hard and I’ve gave him a couple of starts now,” said Daish.

“Hopefully it’ll give him more confidence and the lads that came on, George Purcell and Ricky Shakes, they stretched the game out, caused them problems with their pace - it’s a good squad performance.”

Daish, who said it was “embarrassing” that Moore was taken off on a stretcher, revealed the injury was not as bad as first feared.

“I think he’s snapped his tie-up,” joked Daish. “I think it’s embarrassing for what he’s come off for. He’s got two butterfly stitches over a little shin wound, so we’ve given him a bit of stick.”

But on a more serious note, Daish is thankful for Moore for sticking away the two penalties at Woking on Saturday, to keep them in the FA Cup.

“He kept us in the tie on Saturday and he worked hard today,” praised Daish. “I put him in a different role today after a few minutes and he’s taken a knock, but it won’t hurt that much I should imagine, now he’s playing in the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in his life.”

Match winner Ibe, meanwhile, added the Fleet had an incentive to finish off the job at home, especially with a trip to Crewe Alexandra awaiting them.

“When I saw the draw, Crewe, they’re beatable so the onus was sort of on us,” Ibe told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We dug ourselves out of a 2-0 (deficit away at Woking on Saturday and) If we had lost tonight it would have been all for nothing really, all that hard work. So we had to make sure everyone worked hard and we got the result.”

Ibe, who has previously played in the first round of the FA Cup for Tiverton Town and Chelmsford City, added: “From Saturday, coming from 2-0 down, I’m just delighted to be in the first round really. We can go there and relax and just enjoy the day and we’ve got every chance of beating them.”

Ebbsfleet United: Lance Cronin, Mark Ricketts, Sacha Opinel, Darius Charles, James Smith, Neil Barrett, Stacy Long, Craig Stone, Luke Moore (Ricky Shakes 57), Michael Gash, Kezie Ibe (George Purcell 79).
Subs: Sam Moore, Peter Hawkins, Dean Pooley, Jamie Hand, Gary Bowes.

Goal: Keize Ibe 19

Booked: Craig Stone 62, Mark Ricketts 77

Woking: Carl Pentney, Patrice Mondon-Konan, Paul Lorraine, Tom Hutchinson, Colin Miles (Danny Bunce 66), Bradley Quamina, Joel Ledgister (Daniel Spence 70), Paolo Vernazza, Abdou El Kholiti (Giuseppe Sole 81), Liam Marum, Wilfried Domoraud.
Subs: Ross Worner, Matt Pattison, Delano Sam-Yorke, Charlie Moone.

Booked: Patrice Mondon-Konan 32, Colin Miles 62

Attendance: 869 (185 away supporters)
Referee: Mr Rob Whitton (Chelmsford, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Carl Fitch (Ipswich, Suffolk) & Mr Nick Cooper (Ipswich, Suffolk)
Fourth Official: Mr Lloyd Wood