Next Match – Ebbsfleet United – Away
City make the first of five visits to Kent on Saturday when they head to Ebbsfleet United, the early season leaders. This should prove a good test for Jerry Gill’s team who will go into the match full of confidence after four wins in their last five outings.
The Fleet have a 100% record from their six matches, including home wins over Chippenham, Farnborough and Dover. They have already scored 18 goals and remarkably ten different players have hit the back of the net.
Despite topping the table in the weeks before Christmas, Ebbsfleet’s title challenge last season was lost after a poor January and February when they suffered five defeats in seven, including heavy reverses at the two promoted clubs, Maidstone and Dorking.
Finishing in third place, a semi-final play-off victory over Chippenham was followed by defeat in the final at Dorking.
City had visited Stonebridge Road on the Saturday before Christmas and should have found the net at least three times. Instead, a telling four-minute spell either side of half time saw the home team win 3-0 with one of the goals converted by top scorer Dominic Poleon who was on target again at Twerton Park three months later in a 2-0 win for the visitors.
Ebbsfleet’s squad includes former City favourite Sido Jombati, who played a major part in our 2009/10 promotion season and the following memorable year in the National League. However Sido has started only one match so far.
City’s first visit to Stonebridge Road was way back in 1947 and in 36 league matches have been victors on eleven occasions. Until 1990 their opponents were known as Gravesend & Northfleet United but by the time this fixture resumed twenty years later the club had adopted its present name.
The ground at Ebbsfleet includes a new stand, opened in 2017, opposite a classic old wooden structure and plenty of room behind both goals.
Those fans travelling to the match can buy tickets in advance from the Ebbsfleet website but those preferring to pay on the day should note that a ticket must be bought at the kiosk by the reception entrance as payments are not accepted at the turnstiles.
The 150 mile journey will take around three hours via the M4 and M25. Unfortunately there was insufficient demand for a Supporters Club coach to run. The train trip from Bath Spa will take around 2.5 hours, changing in London, with a walk of ten minutes from Ebbsfleet International station to the ground or a shorter one from Northfleet.
Hopefully as many supporters as possible will manage to get to Stonebridge Road but remember if you cannot there will be full commentary provided by the excellent Bath City Radio.