Stead double gives Bees first win of the season reports Nick Sandamas

Barnet FC taking a free kick against Ebbsfleet Unites — The Bees in action at Ebbsfleet – (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

Ebbsfleet United 1 Barnet 2

The Bees put in a fine performance on the road to beat Ebbsfleet United at the Kufflink Stadium and put last weekend’s opening day loss at FC Halifax firmly to the back of their minds.

Playing against a side who had also lost on the first day of the season, the Bees were on the front foot early on: last season’s top scorer Nicke Kabamba had a sniff of a chance but his weak shot was easily gathered by Fleet’s keeper Mark Cousins, who was making his hundred appearance for the club in today’s game.

The game until the half hour saw few chances of note, then Dominic Samuel fired his shot wide for the home side and ten minutes later an even better chance fell to the Fleet, but Kwame Thomas somehow headed wide of the far post, following a fine run and cross into the six-yard area by Ben Chapman.

Then, on 43 minutes, the Bees took the lead when Billy Clifford teased the Fleet defence, threading the ball with the outside of his boot to Callum Stead inside the box, for him to roll the ball past the dive of Cousins into the corner of the net .

The Bees started the second half well, dictating the game with a couple of chances to double their lead, the first coming on the hour mark when Cousins thwarted Zak Brunt with a fine one-handed save and, minutes later, a header by Kabamba going over the bar.

The second Bees goal finally arrived on 70 minutes. It started with a brilliant ball from his own half by Joe Kizzi, over the top of the Fleet backline to Stead who ran, twisted and turned before shooting low into the net with the ball coming off Cousins body to give the Bees crucial daylight.

With the minutes ticking by, Craig Tanner had half a chance for Fleet, but screwed his effort past the post and Cousins was at it again to deny Harry Chapman a third goal for the Bees with a brilliant save.

But with a clean sheet looming for the Bees, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, they conceded a penalty when Ade Oluwo pushed Samuel in the back.

Dominic Poleon scored the spot kick: a low shot finding the net for what turned out to be a consolation goal.

The Bees will hope to carry this fine display into Tuesday night, but face a much tough test as newly relegated Forest Green Rovers visit The Hive having started the season well with 4 points out of six and seven goals in the bag.

Team: Hayes, Kizzi (Okimo), Kenlock (Collinge), Oluwo, Coker, Clifford (Chapman), Hartigan, Brunt (Taveras) Stead, Kabamba (Wilkinson), Kanu

Subs not used: Gilmore and Hall-Johnson

Attendance: 1636 (256 away fans)

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