We have to go there and be very hard to break down, I would go 4-1-4-1 tonight. But not concede early doors. 

@happy-hammers Not sure who'd we even play in a back 4? Cook would have to start but I don't think he's ready for that as not kicked a ball for 6 weeks.

@calvertskans I'm afraid to say that Marc's at fault there with Cook. Could of come on a couple of times after Chesterfield.

I think a reasonably defensive approach will be needed in the circs, but just hope they don’t sit so deep for the whole game. Hard not to concede, as we found out on Saturday. 

At least forecast is dry 😊 

To add to the injury woes, I believe Gallagher and McShane are both 1 booking away from a suspension as well...

@calvertskans that's not a worry. 😂😂 only joking

Great win, worked hard all night, grew with confidence and got the all important goal!

3 points coming home!!

Man of the match poll at the top of the thread by the way!

Yep, that was a great win and makes up for Saturday for sure. If we had held on then we would be above Woking just outside playoffs. 

The boys played some decent football vs a limited team and didn’t just sit back on the one goal lead.  Great effort. Good to see Cook back and playing well. Blair a threat all night and flashes of Briggsy too. 

Number of bookings are a worry , although I couldn’t understand half of them. 

What a win! Some really standout moments. Ottoway looking really good throughout. That goal was fantastic. I agree with @baggy, the bookings were really worrying. Cook got lucky late in the 2nd half with that challenge just outside of box, which the ref could have given him a second yellow. Kuhl showed some flashes. Dan G. has really stepped up this season. Also, ANOTHER clean sheet. My only criticism is the finishing of the final third. Macca had a really golden opportunity in the second half. Seager as well. Could have been 2 or 3 up.  

Should have included Blair in the MoM poll to be fair. Personally so impressed with Cook, all through the first half he had a huge area to defend almost single handed- one mistake and it was curtains, but he kept them at bay.

I thought Cook played really well on his first game back and Ebbsfleet had not threat straight down the middle. They were missing their best striker, Poleon, though.   The main threat came down the flanks, but we were helped by some wayward finishing from them.  In fact, for the second away game running, Male was not very busy at all. 

I was comparing this season's start with last season's, just out of interest:

2022-23   P12 W5 D2 L5 GF 23 GA 26  Pts 17

2023-24   P12 W4 D3 L5 GF 13 GA 17  Pts 15

On the stats, we are slightly worse off, but I don't think this tells the full story.  Last year's games included the mugging of Notts County and this year's included the mugging by Rochdale and the ghost goal at Oldham.  So we should be better off in points won.  

But more importantly, this season has looked much more organised defensively and the squad is much stronger throughout: Rutherford to come back, Briggs to play a full season hopefully, Blair and Pybus in, not to mention a full season from Craig and Francombe.  Only Chesterfield are really turning over everyone - often only just - but apart from that, every team seems very beatable. We have been competitive in every game bar Solihull perhaps (which I missed), even if we have some poor first halves which have gone only lightly punished. 

So all in all, I reckon Marc is right when comparing this season to last - a much better team and better place. Let's hope the points will follow .... Up the Wanderers! 

Just watched the Ebbsfleet away game on National League TV (free to air replays) & voted for Joe Cook MOM 

Good to see he leads the MOM poll too, showed great character and played well after a tricky start to the season and little games recently 

Well played Joe 

Overall, a solid away performance and a good win ... 

https://www.nationalleaguetv.com/video/player/0_ymfi3q2t?feed=2e91dd95-6fd3-4e7b-a08c-b26a87c6e76d&section=f5f428e1-9ead-456a-897c-197eff8786be