Fleet sail into Semis

Ebbsfleet United's hopes of walking out at Wembley Stadium remain alive and kicking after a dramatic extra-time victory over Burton Albion.

Stacy Long’s goal, four minutes from the end of extra-time, gave Liam Daish’s side a place in the Semi-Finals of The FA Trophy for the first time in their history and a tie with Conference Premier leaders Aldershot Town.

With penalty-kicks looming, George Purcell found space on the right and his cross picked out Long in space, allowing the midfielder to send a first-time effort past the exposed Saul Deeney in the Burton goal.

It was no less than the home side deserved after dominating for long periods in a hard-fought contest at Stonebridge Road.

Both Long and James Smith were denied by Deeney in an end-to-end first half, while Burton’s Shaun Harrad provided a reminder that Nigel Clough’s side had Wembley aspirations of their own.

But those aspirations were fortunate to still be intact at the break as Michael Bostwick came within inches of giving the home side the lead, only for his rasping effort to scrape the top of the bar with Deeney beaten.

Ebbsfleet increased the tempo after the break in an effort to break the deadlock, but once again they were denied by Deeney as both John Akinde and Long saw chances go begging.

With neither team able to find the elusive goal, the game went to extra-time and once again it was Deeney who kept Burton in contention.

The former Notts County man produced a stunning save to deny Luke Moore from close range to frustrate the home side once again.

But he was finally beaten with just four minutes remaining as Purcell’s pass found Long in space and the Ebbsfleet man made no mistake, firing home from close-range to set up a Semi-Final clash with Aldershot.