MATCH REPORT | EBBSFLEET UNITED 1-2 BARNET FC | NATIONAL LEAGUE

First win of the season for the Bees who oversee a dominant performance at Ebbsfleet United.

Barnet started the game on the front foot as Zak Brunt played the ball towards Nicke Kabamba who took a shot on, but Mark Cousins dived low to make the save.

Ten minutes in and the Bees had another chance when Anthony Hartigan’s free kick met the head of Oluwo but his header went just over the bar.

Ebbsfleet were defending well, and the Bees put the defence to the test again when Kanu and Stead took two efforts at goal, both were well blocked.

On the half-hour mark the hosts pressed forward before Dominic Samuel shrugged off the defence to plant a shot towards goal, rolling just wide of Haye’s goal.

The hosts looked to find the breakthrough after 40 minutes when a cross from the right-hand side met Kwame Thomas on the edge of the box who headed the ball at goal but it bounced just wide of the post.

On the stroke of half-time the Bees took the lead as some great play from Billy Clifford who fed the ball forward looking for Callum Stead who controlled the ball on the edge of the six-yard box before poking the ball home.

Half Time: 0-1

With an hour on the clock, the Bees looked to make it two when Callum Stead raced forward into the box before shooting at goal, but his shot rolled inches wide of the post.

Barnet were pressing for the second goal when Coker’s cross from the left-hand side reaches Nicke Kabamba in the box, but the ball was unable to be steered towards the goal.

With 20 minutes to go Stead got his second of the afternoon and Barnet’s second when he received the ball on the right-hand side of the box before switching the ball onto his left and placing the ball into the back of the net.

The Bees kept on growing and Brunt nearly made it three when his deflected shot bounced just wide of the post, winning a corner in the process.

Kabamba looked to wrap the game up on the 90^th minute but his effort was well kept out by Cousins.

In a difficult afternoon for the hosts, they were handed a last-minute lifeline when a penalty was awarded for a foul in the box. Dominic Poleon stepped up to place the ball in the goal.

Full Time: 1-2

Barnet: Hayes, Kizzi (Collinge), Oluwo, Kenlock (Okimo), Kanu, Hartigan, Coker, Brunt (Chapman), Stead, Clifford (Tavares), Kabamba (Wilkinson).

Goals: Stead (43, 70), Poleon (90+4)