Ref takes centre stage at Fleet

9:59am Tuesday 7th October 2008

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Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Histon

HISTON are fast becoming Liam Daish's bogey side after last night's single-goal victory made it three wins out of three against the Fleet in the league.

And to add insult to injury, Wickford referee John Hopkins is fast becoming the single most unpopular individual ever to wear black at Stonebridge Road after another card-strewn affair, hot on the heels of his 10-card spree against Cambridge some weeks ago.

In front of the Setanta cameras, Liam Daish made two changes to his squad from Saturday, Paul McCarthy returning after suspension in place of Peter Hawkins and Danny Slatter dropping down to the bench for a rest to be replaced by Ricky Shakes.

And the Fleet, eager to blow Saturday's cobwebs away, started brightly.

Michael Gash took the first sight on goal after two minutes, but it failed to trouble goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt, and Luke Moore attempted an audacious lob-cum-shot on eight minutes which brushed the top netting of the goal.

Gash was his usual aerial threat, though even he was overpowered by Histon's tall pairing of Patrick Ada and Matthew Langston, while Moore was zipping across the box to probe for openings and knockdowns.

Midway through the half, Gash got his head to a cross but Naisbitt gathered well, while Neil Barrett should have done better from a similar position six minutes later but sent his header to the right of the post.

Barrett had another bite at the cherry shortly afterwards, taking the ball down at the second attempt but not finding the target.

The Fleet also claimed a penalty when a Moore shot appeared to strike a hand but the appeals were waved away.

Stacy Long was creating a little room cutting in from the left and his pace had the beating of the Histon midfield but he failed to provide a killer pass, while Ricky Shakes was a more peripheral figure down the right.

Histon seemed content to soak up the pressure, attempting to release their danger men Antonio Murray and Jack Midson down the right of midfield and twice Dean Pooley had to perform crucial and inch-perfect tackles to intercept them.

The only time Histon did get beyond the Fleet defence, where Darius Charles was equally content at left back, saw Lanre Oyebanjo release Midson and the midfielder's low and dangerous cross eluded everyone as it zipped across Lance Cronin's six-yard box.

Moore, lively as ever, had another fine chance on 38 minutes, taking advantage of Gareth Gwillim's slip to steer the ball goalwards but the offside flag prevented him following it up.

But as Fleet fans streamed off for their half-time sustenance, their team fell into the old trap of conceding in the dying seconds.

A rare foray forward from the visitors saw Midson nod down into the centre of the area and a statuesque Fleet defence could only watch as Damian Reeves scored with a well-executed overhead kick which was too swift for Cronin to do anything about.

Former Fleet legend Steve Portway entertained the crowd through half-time by flicking footballs into a blue box courtesy of Setanta.

The fans who once idolised him may have wished he was wearing red in the second half because, a five-minute spell aside, the Fleet barely mustered an attack worthy of the name.

They weren't helped by referee Hopkins, who was surprisingly restrained in the first half, suddenly going card-happy in a game which was far from dirty.

But it has to be said the visitors were by far the better side as the second half began.

Former Fleet target Josh Simson pulled the strings in midfield and he forced Cronin into a save on 54 minutes.

Ebbsfleet briefly upped their game when Craig Stone replace Barrett and the ex-Gillingham midfielder was involved in some fine build-up on 65 minute.

He set up Long for a run through the Histon rearguard, who in turn fed Moore who advanced on the defence but his cross came to nothing.

The two players were involved again moments later when Long's exquisite through-ball split the Histon defence but Moore could only win a corner after attempting to play in Gash.

Ebbsfleet's frustrations were starting to get the better of them as goal kick after goal kick sailed over their heads, which was bread-and-butter stuff for the big Histon defence.

Gash saw the first of Mr Hopkins' second-half cautions after tumbling under an Ada challenge following an earlier spat between the pair.

His frustration grew as the physical Histon defence were seemingly left unpunished for some rather robust aerial challenges.

As the Fleet visibly wilted, their part-time opponents made better use of the long-ball tactic, Reeves signing off with a snap shot before being substituted on 69 minutes.

The game degenerated into a sideshow thereafter as Hopkins took centre stage, with Gash's shot at Gwillim on the edge of the six-yard box being the best the Fleet could muster.

At the other end, Charles and Pooley were sublime for the Fleet, the former taking it upon himself to create things from the back and the latter still making important, well-timed challenges.

But Charles got his first yellow for dissent on 83 minutes and five minutes later he received his marching orders.

Another long, mazy run from defence was halted in its tracks 30 yards out and as Charles fell to the ground.

The referee, to the disbelief of just about everybody watching (although TV replays apparently vindicated the decision), showed him a second yellow card.

Hapless Hopkins was about the nicest thing anybody called him from the terraces at this stage.

He still managed to find time to book four more players in the closing minutes to take his tally to nine yellows and a red, all but one of those in 26 second-half minutes.

His season's tally in just five games is 40 yellows and two reds.

In a way, his shocking performance took the focus off what was a wretched second-half showing from the Fleet and overshadowed just how lacking in ideas the home side were after the break.

The visitors moved up to second while the Fleet, drawing a blank in front of goal for the second game in succession, could only dream of third place as they allowed yet another three points to be easily surrendered.

Ebbsfleet United: Cronin, Ricketts (Slatter 79), McCarthy, Charles, Pooley, Shakes (Ibe 80), Hand, Barrett (Stone 55), Long, Gash, Moore. Subs not used: Mott, Smith. Att: 1,226