Ebbsfleet United 2-3 Notts County (FA Cup Round One) 09.11.19

Notts County are through to the second round of the FA Cup after a dramatic last minute victory against Ebbsfleet in a cracking cup tie that had almost everything from great goals to controversy and in the end a perfect result for Neal Ardley’s men.

The home side took a stunning lead after just seven minutes when Josh Payne picked the ball up from over 30 yards and struck a thunderbolt in to the top corner of Sam Slocombe’s goal.

It could have got worse for Notts when a Payne free kick was deflected looping nervously over before Kyle Wootton equalised on 34 minutes when the referee adjudged his shot to have gone fully over the line after driving in a right wing corner from inside the edge of the box.

Wes Thomas went close blazing over early in the second half before the Magpies took the lead before the hour after some terrific work by the lively Thomas who slid Wootton clear to slot home low past the keeper for his second of the game.

Notts went close to making it three when first Thomas before Boldewijn struck wide but after Ugwu went close to levelling the referee was again at the centre of attention when in the closing minutes he adjudged a Blackman cross to have hit Richard Brindley on the arm inside the area allowing Ugwu to level things up from the spot.

That equaliser looked to have earned Ebbsfleet a replay but after Wootton forced a great save by Holmes to deny his hat-trick in added time a corner by Booty was headed towards the back post and Ben Turner nodded it back into the goalmouth where the flying Holmes couldn’t keep it out ensuring the Magpies snatched victory to make the hat for round two.

Following the game Manager Neal Ardley delighted with his team’s performance stated ““We responded to a setback again and the character to concede in the 89^th minute but go on to get the third goal is what good teams are made of.”

“Their attitude is fantastic and their will to win and do everything right is what leads to this kind of result”.

Ebbsfleet United: Holmes, King, Lawless (Umerah 63), Ekpiteta, Cordner, Weston, Egan (Sutherland 67), Payne, Blackman, Ugwu, Reid (Adeloye 81).

Notts County: Slocombe, McCrory, Rawlinson, Brindley, Turner, Rose, Boldewejin, Booty (Bakayogo 90), Doyle, Thomas (Tyson 85), Wootton.

Venue: Stonebridge Road (1,206)

*Main image @Official_NCFC celebrating a late cup winner at Stonebridge Road.