Ebbsfleet United v Nuneaton Town

Ebbsfleet United v Nuneaton Town

Ebbsfleet look to avoid slipping further away from safety on Saturday as they face fellow relegation battlers Nuneaton Town at Stonebridge Road.

Nuneaton Town FC 
Founded - 1889 (as Nuneaton St. Nicholas - Reformed again in 2008)
Nickname - The Boro
Ground - Liberty Way
Manager - Kevin Wilkin
Captain - Gareth Dean
Top Scorer - Andy Brown (16)

Founded in 1889, the club changed their name to Nuneaton Town just five years later. Town were founder members of the North Warwickshire League. Up until 1937, the club played in a number of league's including the Nuneaton League, Coventry and North Warwick League, Birmingham Junior League, Birmingham and District League and Southern League. Nuneaton Town disbanded in 1937, but just two days later Nuneaton Borough FC was formed. The club played at former Nuneaton Town ground Manor Park and took on numerous Nuneaton Town youngsters. In 1979, Town were one of the founder members of the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference). Back to back relegations in the late eighties, and off field problems put Town back below the Southern Premier League. A new board of directors took over in 1991 and this lead to a name change - to Nuneaton Borough A.F.C. In 1993, they got their nickname 'The Boro' after years of being called 'the Nuns' and 'Town' and in 1995 they played rivals Bedworth United for the first time in sixteen years. With a crowd of 5,204 at Bedworth's ground, 4,000 of those were thought to have been Nuneaton fans. Borough had their best FA Cup run in the 2005/06 season when they beat AFC Telford United, Chelmsford City, Tiverton Town, Ramsgate and Histon on route to a home tie against Middlesbrough. The home side were delighted when Gez Murphy scored a last-minute penalty to equalize. Middlesbrough won the replay 5-2, but it was a run Boro could be proud of, and in particular, Murphy. The striker had scored three goals in two matches against Middlesbrough. In May 2007, Borough played their last match at Manor Park - a 1-1 draw against Vauxhall Motors - before moving into Liberty way. The club went into liquidation in June 2008, but then reformed again as Nuneaton Town FC and started off in the Southern League Division One Midlands. The club completed their return to the top of non-league in 2010-11 when they gained promotion to the Conference again via the play-offs.

A near 650-mile round trip on a Wednesday night is something no team wants to experience, but when you have a small part-time squad with players who are due to start work early the next morning, and are delayed by baked beans, it's absolutely awful. Ebbsfleet faced the daunting trip to Barrow on Wednesday night and it was made even worse by a lorry containing baked beans spilling it's load all over the M6! The match was scheduled for 7:45pm kick-off but the Fleet team coach didn't arrive until 8:40, giving them a fiften minute warm-up before a 9:05pm kick-off! Despite the late arrival and lack of warm-up, it was the Fleet who were out of the blocks and raring to go. The visitors tested the Barrow keeper multiple times, but he was in fine form, making some excellent saves. He was beaten, however, when a Gareth Gwillim corner was headed in by centre-back Phil Walsh. Right on the stroke of half-time, you'd think it would have spurred the Fleet on when they came out for the second half, but it was Bluebirds who come out all guns blazing. Most of their shots went harmlessly wide, or over, but the Fleet just couldn't hold out. Top scorer Adam Boyes' left footed strike late on in the game gave Preston Edwards no chance of saving it. It was close to 11:00pm when the match eventually finished, and a draw did neither side any favours. The Fleet remain in 23rd position and are ten points from safety. The Fleet will look to win to try and close the gap a little.

Nuneaton could probably count themselves a little unlucky in their last match as they hosted promotion chasing Newport County. Despite having the better of the first half, Town could only go into the break with a one goal lead, courtesy of Simon Forsdick. County manager Justin Edinburgh had some stern words for his side at half-time and it worked. Substitute Robbie Willmott brought the visitors level with a 25-yard free-kick and James Armson headed into his own net to give County all three points. Nuneaton sit one place, and one point outside of the the relegation zone and will want to win the game to get a little further away from the bottom four.

KEY PLAYERS: 

The Fleet will look to Preston Edwards to keep out the visiting attack. The shot stopper has been in good form and is a vital part of the Fleet side. Liam Enver-Marum will need to show the form the Fleet fans saw from him last season. With Matt Godden back at parent club Scunthorpe, Nathan Elder and Stefan Payne suspended, that leaves him and Moses Ashikodi as the only senior strikers in the squad.

Andy Brown is one of the best players in the Town squad. With sixteen goals to his name, he'll be looking to add to his tally against the Fleet. Simon Forsdick is another player who will be key in the run-in as they look to escape the drop. The influential midfielder has made over 30 appearances this season and will look to help his team grab a vital three points in their battle against relegation.

TEAM NEWS: 

The Fleet are without Nathan Elder who picked up a red card against Barrow, and Stefan Payne who serves the second of a three-game suspension. Long-term absentee came on against Barrow for five minutes in what was his first appearance since the beginning of December. It is believed that full-back Craig Stone could nearing full fitness.

Captain Mark Noon has been missing all season with a serious leg break. Stand-in captain Gareth Dean will miss the trip to Ebbsfleet after picking up his tenth yellow card of the season on Monday. Manager Kevin Wilkin should have a near full squad to choose from.

EBBSFLEET'S LAST SIX MATCHES (DLLDWL): 

Barrow AFC 1-1 Ebbsfleet United
Braintree Town 3-1 Ebbsfleet United
Ebbsfleet United 0-2 Forest Green Rovers
Cambridge United 1-1 Ebbsfleet United
Ebbsfleet United 4-1 Southport
Alfreton Town 3-0 Ebbsfleet United

NUNEATON'S LAST SIX MATCHES (LWDLDW): 

Nuneaton Town 1-2 Newport County
AFC Telford United 0-3 Nuneaton Town
Nuneaton Town 0-0 Woking
Mansfield Town 1-0 Nuneaton Town
Braintree Town 2-2 Nuneaton Town
Nuneaton Town 1-0 Grimsby Town

PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS: 

The Fleet have met Nuneaton numerous times over the years, but have only played them once since their reformation in 2008. The first meeting between the two sides came in September 1959 at Manor Park. Nuneaton ran out 4-2 winners. The Fleet lead the head-to-head with nine wins to Nuneaton's seven. Seven matches have been drawn.

11.08.12. Nuneaton Town 4-5 Ebbsfleet United
14.12.02. Nuneaton Borough 0-1 Gravesend and Northfleet
07.09.02. Gravesend and Northfleet 4-1 Nuneaton Borough
15.03.97. Gravesend and Northfleet 1-1 Nuneaton Borough
28.09.96. Nuneaton Borough 3-0 Gravesend and Northfleet

LAST TIME OUT: 

Saturday 11 August, 2012. Nuneaton Town 4-5 Ebbsfleet United.

The Fleet were optimistic before the season started. The squad was similar to the one that ended last season in 14th. This was the best match the Fleet have been involved in all season.

Nuneaton raced into a nineteen minute two lead with goals from Andy Brown and Adam Walker, but goals from Tom Phipp, Nathan Elder, Liam Enver-Marum and Moses Ashikodi put the Fleet 2-4 up with 50 minutes gone. Robbie Thompson-Brown's goal six minutes later gave the hosts hope, but a great finish from Tom Phipp with two minutes to go put the visitors 3-5 ahead. Andy Brown scored a late penalty to make up for his earlier miss from twelve yards. The game ended 4-5, although it could have been more! The Fleet sat second in the table after the first round of games, it's gone completely down hill from then.

Attendance: 1,088.