Barnet produced a scintillating first-half performance to dismantle Ebbsfleet United 4-1 at The Hive Stadium, strengthening their grip on top spot in the National League. The Bees overwhelmed their opponents from the outset, racing to a four-goal lead before half-time and leaving Ebbsfleet reeling.
The rout began in the 10th minute when Danny Collinge’s incisive pass found Nicke Kabamba, who coolly slotted the ball home. Barnet’s relentless high press and fluid attacking movement continued to torment the visitors, and their lead was doubled just eight minutes later. Mark Shelton applied the finishing touch to a well-worked move, firing past the Ebbsfleet goalkeeper.
The Bees’ dominance showed no sign of abating, and they added a third goal in the 27th minute. A slick passing sequence culminated in Ryan Glover providing the assist for Rhys Browne to finish from close range. Five minutes later, the pair combined again, this time with Collinge’s pass finding Glover, who unleashed a powerful strike to make it 4-0. The Hive Stadium was buzzing as Barnet’s vibrant display left Ebbsfleet shell-shocked.
Ebbsfleet manager Joshua Wright made a triple substitution at half-time in a desperate attempt to change the course of the match. The visitors did enjoy a more competitive second period, but the damage had already been done. Dominic Poleon grabbed a consolation goal for Ebbsfleet in the 83rd minute, finishing off a move crafted by substitute Maxx Manktelow.
Barnet also made a number of changes in the second half, seemingly with an eye on managing their squad’s workload. The substitutions didn’t disrupt their control of the game, and they comfortably saw out the victory.
The emphatic win extends Barnet’s unbeaten run against Ebbsfleet to three matches, following their 2-1 victory earlier in the season and a previous draw. For Ebbsfleet, the defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table.