Scott Wilson was handed a second debut after joining on loan from Bath City last week, coming in for George Birch who dropped to the bench. Emlyn Lewis also came back into the starting XI after Saturday’s match at Chippenham Town, with James Waite dropping out of the squad after completing a move to Eastleigh.
Josh Passley fired wide at the back post in the visitors’ first chance from a Kewsi Appiah cross, before a Ben Coker free-kick from 25 yards was straight into the gloves of Max Harris. Liam Sercombe, on his home debut, then volleyed wide from 20 yards after a Luke Coulson free-kick was punched up more than out by Fleet debutant Jonathan Macaulay.
The Seagulls were to grab the game’s only goal, when Britton earned a free-kick down the left channel after being tripped by Ronny Nelson. With Coulson and James Dodd stood over the bar, the latter whipped a delightful free-kick into the corridor of uncertainty at the back post, where Wilson was able to poke through the legs of Macaulay for his first goal back in a Weston shirt.
Charlie Cummins saw an effort from 25 yards headed away by a Fleet defender, before Paul Barnes rolled a shot past the post when through on goal and another Ebbsfleet attacker lurking for the tap-in.
Half-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 1 – 0 Ebbsfleet United
Gene Kennedy fired a shot wide from 18 yards in the visitors’ first attack of the half, before Harris was called into action to push away a Charlie Seaman free-kick from 25 yards. A Nelson header from 18 yards following a floated cross was into the hands of Harris.
Ebbsfleet were to be awarded the opportunity to pull themselves level, when substitute Birch was adjudged to have handled an Appiah flick inside the area. With the referee pointing to the spot, former Ghana international Appiah stepped up but could only fire his penalty over the bar to give the Seagulls a let-off.
As the game began to open up with Ebbsfleet pouring forward, the Seagulls started to re-take control of proceedings. A Dodd effort was deflected wide from 12 yards following Coulson’s pull-back, before Britton headed a Coulson delivery wide and Britton then had an attempt scrambled off of the line by Macauley after Cummins had drove through midfield and fed the No.9 into the area.
Despite some late Fleet pressure, the Seagulls were able to hold out and close the gap on Hornchurch to three points, with a game in hand on the league leaders.
Full – Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 1 – 0 Ebbsfleet United (Wilson 21)#
Attendance: 795
Weston XI: Harris, Smith, Wood, Avery, Coulson, Dodd, Britton, Lewis (C), Sercombe (Bernard 66), Cummins, Wilson (Birch 58).
Unused substitutes: Johnson, King, Glover, Hicks.
MOTM: Luke Coulson. Influential going forward and his dangerous set-pieces caused danger to the Ebbsfleet rearguard throughout the 90 minutes.
