LIAM Daish rued missed opportunities as a wasteful Ebbsfleet United were denied victory by a “soul-destroying” last minute equaliser by Lincoln City on Saturday.

Tom Phipp provided the only bit of quality in the first half by giving Daish’s side the lead with a stunning strike.

But the home side could not build on their lead despite numerous chances and paid a heavy price as Conner Robinson equalised in the dying seconds of the game.

Manager Daish said: “It has turned around a little bit where we have lost a couple of points in the last minute and that is disappointing.

“Looking back we have had a couple of clear chances to get ourselves further in front.

“If you don’t take them something can always come back and bite you on the backside.

“In the second half we were defensively strong, but when chances come you have got to be clinical.

“Liam Enver-Marum and Nathan Elder have had two clear chances where they only had to make contact and they didn’t.

“That’s the difference, you have to take those chances.

“Whoever you play at this level, they will get an opportunity.”

Ebbsfleet almost found themselves behind on three minutes after some sloppy marking as Nicky Nicolau’s short corner found Alan Power, who curled an effort agonisingly onto the bar.

Both sides restricted each other to half chances until Phipp took the game by the scruff of the neck on 36 minutes.

The Fleet midfielder received possession with a great turn from a throw in, took one touch to set himself up and then unleashed a powerful right-footed strike into the near top left corner.

“There wasn’t much quality in the first half apart from our strike to go ahead,” admitted Daish.

Ebbsfleet continued to press with Lanre Azeez finally finding himself a bit of space and carving out two opportunities late in the first half, although neither Enver-Marum or Elder managed to convert from close range.

The Fleet continued to press with Phipp and Azeez both setting up Elder, but the striker,who has been out for a long spell with injury, looked rusty.

Nicky Nicolau was unlucky not to draw the teams level shortly after as his venomous strike smashed the bar, but the home side continued to create and waste chances.

The home side’s wasteful performance was summed up in one particular break.

Azeez, Phipp and Elder all had a bite of the cherry before Ashley Carew saw his effort tipped around the post by the Lincoln keeper with just five minutes left on the clock.

However, with moments to go the seemingly inevitable equaliser came as substitute Conner Robinson found a lot of space in the area and drilled under the helpless Preston Edwards.

Daish reflected: “I thought we defended well but it only takes a small slip in concentration. “It is really disappointing. It is a bit soul destroying sometimes.”

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