Bits and Pieces

The Big Match Preview.

We are fast approaching the F.A. Trophy Semi Final First Leg against Aldershot at Stonebridge Road. This is a game which if you excuse the pun, we have to pull out all the shots. I hope each of us who has the best interests of Ebbsfleet United at heart can do what we can to get us through. If this happens, then we really are in dreamland with a final at Wembley Stadium in May.

The game has to be put into context. We are in a semi final of the FA Trophy for the first time in the competitions history. All the other 3 teams in the semi final are ex Football league teams and would be at the moment be classed as bigger teams than us in terms of gates. Aldershot are currently flying in the Conference with a 10 point lead at the top of the table having gone to the then second placed team Torquay United on Monday and won. They have been top of the table since October and will be a very confident outfit, a very young team but a good one. I saw them on TV a few weeks ago at home to Stevenage who were then 4th in the league. In a first half performance, they tore into them and were 3-0 at the break. One of their best players is John Grant the centre forward who has scored many important goals this season. Another important player is Joel Grant who was described in a newspaper this week as Non League’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

So, do we have a chance here ?. You bet we do. We ourselves are on a great run since before Christmas. Do you realise that in beating Salisbury on Tuesday, we inflicted on them their first defeat of 2008. We ended Burtons fine unbeaten away record , then put them out of the Trophy by a replay. We too have a young very hard working team, We have to get at them early on. The newspaper headline was “Young Shots have no fear” , we have to test that and make them earn it if they want the final place.

Aldershot are a well supported team and will bring a lot of fans with them on Saturday as its not so far away. This is where we have to be as vocal as they are. We cant afford to lose the home supposed vocal advantage. I feel we need to win to have a really good fighting chance in the return leg on Saturday week. To take a 2 goal lead there would be a magnificent result. One thing that I think we have to be very careful about is the Noon kick off time. I have been to games at this time in the past and it can be a weird experience. Teams can be slow as they are not playing at their normal time, fans can be a bit subdued at that time of day. I don’t think we can afford the luxury of being quiet on Saturday lunchtime.

We can all support the team on Saturday in our own ways. If you live within 4 hours of Stonebridge Road, can I please ask you to consider very carefully if you can get to the game to support the Fleet. It can be done, make a day of it. It means an early start, but you have all day to get home, or make a weekend of it by staying overnight. People who can’t make the game can listen to the game with Charles on BBC Radio Kent online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent . You can send him a message in the commentary box during the game via instructions at

http://members.myfootballclub.co.uk//9_275052_0.html

You can also follow the game at 12 Noon UK, 7am EST in the MYFC chat room at http://web002.myfootballclub.co.uk/chat-myfc

So come on Fleet Fans, make some real noise if you are going to the game, We are the 12th man here, we might not get this close to Wembley again for many years to come. The 200 plus at Burton Albion did the team proud with their vocal support, this has to be built on against The Shots. We have the chance to make real history for the Fleet on Saturday, we can not allow this chance to pass us by.

The Red Toothbrush will be attending the game, it will be leaving York at 5.30am . It will be on good form as it is getting charged up with a big Bacon Sandwich just before the M11 at Cambridge.

WE ARE THE FLEET AND WE WANT TO GO TO WEMBLEY.

SHOUT FOR THE BOYS LIKE YOU NEVER HAVE DONE BEFORE.

CHEER, CHEER, HERE COMES THE FLEET !

By Yorkfox