Ebbsfleet United’s already confirmed relegation from the National League was compounded at the Kuflink Stadium as Maidenhead United secured a comfortable 2-0 victory. The match, officiated by Andrew Humphries, saw Maidenhead dominate the second half after a goalless first period.
The first half was a cagey affair, with both sides struggling to carve out clear-cut chances. Ebbsfleet, under the management of Joshua Wright, looked to utilise the pace of Dominic Poleon in attack, but the Maidenhead defence, a testament to Alan Devonshire’s tactical setup, remained resolute. Maidenhead, in turn, sought to exploit the flanks, but Ebbsfleet’s midfield worked tirelessly to stifle their creativity.
The deadlock was broken five minutes after the restart when Shawn McCoulsky found the net, assisted by Brendan Kiernan. The goal visibly lifted Maidenhead, injecting confidence into their play.
Just nine minutes later, the roles were reversed as Brendan Kiernan himself scored, with McCoulsky providing the assist. This second goal effectively sealed the victory for the away side.
Ebbsfleet manager Wright responded with a series of substitutions in an attempt to spark a comeback. Jephte Tanga replaced Ryan Carr in the 65th minute, aiming to inject some creativity into midfield. Further changes saw Callum Harriott replace Poleon in the 76th minute, and Maxx Manktelow come on for Luke O’Neill in the 84th minute. These changes, however, failed to ignite a revival.
Maidenhead also made a series of substitutions to manage the game. Alan Massey replaced Casey Pettit in the 74th minute, followed by Tristan Abrahams for Kiernan in the 79th minute, and Chris Wreh for McCoulsky in the 81st minute. Joshua Johnson came on for Nathan Ferguson in the 84th minute to solidify the midfield.
The result sees Maidenhead United climb further away from the relegation zone, currently sitting in 22nd position with 49 points, having extended their undefeated streak to four games. For Ebbsfleet United, the loss confirms their dire season, languishing at the bottom of the table in 24th place with just 22 points. This defeat marks their second consecutive loss and underscores their struggles in front of goal, having failed to score in their last two matches.