10 May 2008
VIDEO: Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Torquay United
After missing a penalty, Chris McPhee makes up for it with the winning goal for Ebbsfleet United at Wembley.

Ebbsfleet United

1-0

Torquay United

McPhee 45

 

 

The FA Carlsberg Trophy
The Final
2.30pm Saturday 10 May 2008
Wembley Stadium
Winning club receives £50,000, runners-up receive £25,000
Click here for this season's results

Chris McPhee went from zero to hero as he scored the goal that gave Ebbsfleet United an incredible FA Trophy victory at Wembley.

McPhee saw his first-half penalty saved by Martin Rice, but made amends just minutes later when he scored from close range to send Liam Daish's team on the road to victory.

Kevin Nicholson came close to an early goal as he struck a free-kick that brought the best out of Ebbsfleet 'keeper Lance Cronin. Nicholson drilled the ball firmly with his left foot after just six minutes, but Cronin plunged to the ground and tipped the effort wide for a corner.

Nicholson then turned provider as he delivered another fantastic free-kick on to the head of Tom Sills. When Sills glanced the ball towards the far corner it seemed destined for the bottom corner, but to the relief of the stranded Cronin it went narrowly wide.

In a dominant opening to the game for Paul Buckle's side, Roscoe D'Sane went close once more for the side playing in all-yellow. Nicholson guided a cross to the far post where Lee Phillips headed down for D'Sane to volley the wrong side of the post.

Ebbsfleet came to life and gave their fans something to cheer after 21 minutes when John Akinde turned his marker and closed in on goal, only for the ball to ricochet to the feet of Michael Bostwick who fired a low drive which Martin Rice dealt with at the second attempt.

Stacy Long then forced a corner with a fine effort just two minutes later as Liam Daish's men came back into the game after Torquay had pinned them back during the opening period.

Sacha Opinel hit a specualative effort that left Rice rooted to the spot, but unfortunately for Ebbsfleet it drifted inches wide. From the resulting corner Akinde had a free header but failed to direct it on target.

Ebbsfleet earned a penalty when Chris McPhee went tumbling under the attentions of Rice, and Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot. McPhee stepped up but Rice saved the kick with a fine left-handed stop.

McPhee made amends for the miss just minutes later, on the brink of half-time, when he put Ebbsfleet in front after a tenacious battle from Akinde in winning possession before playing the ball across the face of goal for McPhee to finish.

Into the second period and Akinde was incredibly unlucky not to double Fleet's advantage as Rice fumbled a Bostwick shot at the forward's feet. Akinde slid to prod the ball into the net, but it cannoned off the post back onto Akinde's chest and hit the post a second time.

As Torquay searched for an equaliser Fleet showed their resilience in defence but Stacy Long had to clear off the line from a corner, and Cronin was kept busy as Buckle's players pressed forward.

It was Long who then had a glorious chance to put Fleet two goals to the good with just eight minutes remaining. Akinde again worked tirelessly to create an opening before squaring the ball to Long who sidefooted narrowly over the bar from 12 yards out.

But courageous to the last, Ebbsfleet held on to complete an incredible story for the club this season.

Ebbsfleet United: 1 Lance Cronin, 2 Peter Hawkins, 3 Sacha Opinel, 5 James Smith, 6 Paul McCarthy (c), 8 Stacy Long (4 Gary McDonald 84), 12 Chris McPhee, 14 Neil Barrett, 18 Luke Moore, 19 John Akinde, 25 Michael Bostwick

Substitutes Not Used: 21 Sam Mott, 10 Chukki Eribenne, 15 Mark Ricketts, 17 George Purcell

Manager: Liam Daish

Torquay United: 21 Martin Rice, 3 Kevin Nicholson, 4 Steve Woods (c), 6 Chris Todd, 7 Lee Mansell, 8 Tom Sills (11 Kevin Hill 89), 10 Lee Phillips (19 Danny Stevens 46), 14 Chris Hargreaves, 20 Roscoe D'Sane (9 Elliott Benyon 66), 24 Steve Adams, 26 Chris Zebroski

Substitutes Not Used: 5 Chris Robertson, 16 Matt Hockley

Manager: Paul Buckle

Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Riding FA)

Attendance: 40,186