Ebbsfleet secured a thrilling opening-day victory as they recovered from 2-0 down to edge out Blue Square Bet Premier newcomers Nuneaton.

Andy Brown fired Nuneaton ahead and Adam Walker's 20-yard shot made it 2-0.

The visitors hit back to lead 4-2 through Tom Phipp's free-kick, and strikes from Nathan Elder, Moses Ashikodi and Liam Enver-Marum.

Robbie Thompson-Brown gave Nuneaton hope but Phipp's goal secured the win with Brown's late header a consolation.

Brown had earlier also had a penalty saved for the visitors.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish told BBC Radio Kent:

"It must have been good for the neutral and we haven't won on the first day of the season for a long time.

"I've got to start on the positives, I know there were negatives that I will highlight to the players, but we're off and running and we've got our first three points on the road.

"All the strikers got off the mark, which is great, and we took our chances well. We got back in the game. There were always going to be goals but I didn't expect that many."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (4)

Nuneaton Town

  • 19 Mcnamara
  • 02 Cartwright
  • 04 Cowan
  • 15 Gordon
  • 18 James (York - 76' )
  • 21 O'Halloran
  • 06 Walker
  • 12 Armson (Patterson - 86' )
  • 13 Sleath
  • 20 Thompson-Brown
  • 10 Brown

Substitutes

  • 03 Nisevic
  • 11 Adams
  • 07 York
  • 09 Perry
  • 22 Patterson

Ebbsfleet United

  • 01 Edwards
  • 03 Blake
  • 04 Ada Booked
  • 06 Lorraine
  • 07 Enver-Marum (Forkes - 87' )
  • 11 Phipp Booked
  • 14 Howe
  • 15 Barrett
  • 16 Bellamy
  • 09 Elder (Walsh - 78' )
  • 10 Ashikodi

Substitutes

  • 12 McNeil
  • 17 Greenhalgh
  • 20 Forkes
  • 05 Walsh
  • 19 Williams
Ref: Treleaven
Att: 1,088

Match Stats

Shots

14 7

On target

5 7

Corners

5 2

Fouls

12 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:50 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

90:00 +3:56

Neil Cartwright provided the assist for the goal.

90:00 +3:56 Goal scored

Goal - Andy Brown - Nuneaton 4 - 5 Ebbsfleet Andy Brown finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range. Nuneaton 4-5 Ebbsfleet United.

90:00 +3:38 Booking

Booking Tom Phipp is cautioned.

90:00 +2:44

Foul by Delroy Gordon on Phil Walsh, free kick awarded. Indirect free kick taken by Liam Bellamy.

90:00 +2:03

Robbie Thompson-Brown takes a shot. Preston Edwards makes a save.

90:00 +0:43

Shot by Kyle Patterson from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.

90:00 +0:14

Neil Cartwright produces a cross.

87:43 Goal scored

Goal - Tom Phipp - Nuneaton 3 - 5 Ebbsfleet Tom Phipp gets on the score sheet with a goal from just outside the area to the top right corner of the goal. Nuneaton 3-5 Ebbsfleet United.

85:39

Clearance made by Joe Howe.

85:39 Substitution

Substitution James Forkes is brought on as a substitute for Liam Enveer-Marum.

85:39 Substitution

Substitution Kyle Patterson replaces James Armson.

85:39

Danny Sleath takes the inswinging corner,

85:01

Shot from just outside the box by Robbie Thompson-Brown goes over the crossbar.

84:34

The ball is delivered by Robbie Thompson-Brown, clearance by Joe Howe.

82:36

Shot from just outside the box by Stephen O'Halloran goes over the bar.

82:09

The ball is swung over by Neil Cartwright, Patrick Ada makes a clearance.

80:23

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Tom Phipp by Wesley York. Preston Edwards takes the indirect free kick.

79:56

Neil Cartwright delivers the ball, clearance made by Patrick Ada.

79:13

The assistant referee flags for offside against Moses Ashikodi. Ben Mcnamara takes the free kick.

78:27

Phil Walsh challenges Wesley York unfairly and gives away a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Ben Mcnamara.

77:37 Substitution

Substitution Nathan Elder leaves the field to be replaced by Phil Walsh.

77:06

The ball is swung over by Liam Enveer-Marum, Delroy Gordon makes a clearance.

75:27 Substitution

Substitution Tom James leaves the field to be replaced by Wesley York.

73:56

Unfair challenge on Neil Barrett by Adam Walker results in a free kick. Preston Edwards takes the indirect free kick.

73:27

Unfair challenge on Neil Barrett by Tom James results in a free kick. Liam Enveer-Marum takes the indirect free kick.

71:36

The offside flag is raised against Tom James. Free kick taken by Preston Edwards.

70:44

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Liam Enveer-Marum.

70:13

A cross is delivered by Liam Enveer-Marum.

67:25

Effort on goal by Delroy Gordon from just inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.

66:10

Unfair challenge on Danny Sleath by Patrick Ada results in a free kick. Danny Sleath takes the free kick.

64:05

Free kick awarded for a foul by Neil Barrett on Robbie Thompson-Brown. Indirect free kick taken by Adam Walker.

62:50

Nathan Elder takes a shot. Save by Ben Mcnamara.

61:29

James Armson concedes a free kick for a foul on Moses Ashikodi. Paul Lorraine takes the indirect free kick.

60:01

Liam Enveer-Marum is ruled offside. Ben Mcnamara takes the indirect free kick.

57:53

Robbie Thompson-Brown challenges Liam Bellamy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Patrick Ada takes the indirect free kick.

55:54

Gavin Cowan provided the assist for the goal.

55:54 Goal scored

Goal - Robbie Thompson-Brown - Nuneaton 3 - 4 Ebbsfleet Robbie Thompson-Brown finds the back of the net with a goal from close range to the top left corner of the goal. Nuneaton 3-4 Ebbsfleet United.

54:47

Joe Howe gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Stephen O'Halloran. James Armson takes the indirect free kick.

54:09

Stephen O'Halloran produces a cross, clearance by Preston Edwards.

53:29

Joe Howe produces a cross, save by Ben Mcnamara.

52:27 Penalty

Penalty taken by Andy Brown saved by Preston Edwards. Nuneaton 2-4 Ebbsfleet United.

51:19

Ryan Blake handles the ball and concedes a .

49:56

Assist by Moses Ashikodi.

49:56 Goal scored

Goal - Liam Enveer-Marum - Nuneaton 2 - 4 Ebbsfleet Liam Enveer-Marum fires in a goal from just inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Nuneaton 2-4 Ebbsfleet United.

48:05

Robbie Thompson-Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Ryan Blake. Indirect free kick taken by Preston Edwards.

46:45

Andy Brown takes a shot. Preston Edwards makes a save.

45:14

Adam Walker is ruled offside. Preston Edwards takes the free kick.

45:01

The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.

45:00 +1:42 Half time

Half Time The first half comes to an end.

45:00 +1:36

Liam Bellamy fouled by Tom James, the ref awards a free kick. Paul Lorraine takes the indirect free kick.

45:00 +1:14

Paul Lorraine fouled by Tom James, the ref awards a free kick. Preston Edwards takes the indirect free kick.

45:00 +0:16

Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Danny Sleath from the left by-line, Headed effort on goal by Andy Brown from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.

44:51

Centre by Neil Cartwright.

42:37

James Armson has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.

40:43

The ball is swung over by Robbie Thompson-Brown.

39:25

Danny Sleath fouled by Ryan Blake, the ref awards a free kick. Robbie Thompson-Brown takes the free kick.

37:21

Inswinging corner taken by James Armson from the left by-line.

36:22 Booking

Booking Patrick Ada goes into the book.

36:04

Adam Walker fouled by Patrick Ada, the ref awards a free kick. Adam Walker takes the free kick.

34:00

Andy Brown takes a shot.

33:23

Unfair challenge on Danny Sleath by Nathan Elder results in a free kick. Adam Walker restarts play with the free kick.

32:24

Corner taken left-footed by Danny Sleath, Patrick Ada makes a clearance.

31:00

The assist for the goal came from Nathan Elder.

31:00 Goal scored

Goal - Moses Ashikodi - Nuneaton 2 - 3 Ebbsfleet Moses Ashikodi grabs a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Nuneaton 2-3 Ebbsfleet United.

28:19

The assistant referee signals for offside against Nathan Elder. Ben Mcnamara restarts play with the free kick.

26:52

Unfair challenge on Gavin Cowan by Moses Ashikodi results in a free kick. Gavin Cowan takes the free kick.

26:14

Moses Ashikodi challenges Neil Cartwright unfairly and gives away a free kick. Neil Cartwright takes the indirect free kick.

24:33

Moses Ashikodi takes a shot. Save made by Ben Mcnamara.

23:54

Corner taken by Liam Enveer-Marum, clearance by Ben Mcnamara.

23:16

The ball is delivered by Nathan Elder.

22:16

The assist for the goal came from Joe Howe.

22:16 Goal scored

Goal - Nathan Elder - Nuneaton 2 - 2 Ebbsfleet Nathan Elder fires in a goal from inside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Nuneaton 2-2 Ebbsfleet United.

19:49 Goal scored

Goal - Tom Phipp - Nuneaton 2 - 1 Ebbsfleet Tom Phipp grabs a goal direct from the free kick from long distance to the bottom right corner of the goal. Nuneaton 2-1 Ebbsfleet United.

19:02

Foul by Gavin Cowan on Liam Enveer-Marum, free kick awarded.

16:16

The assist for the goal came from Andy Brown.

16:16 Goal scored

Goal - Adam Walker - Nuneaton 2 - 0 Ebbsfleet Adam Walker finds the back of the net with a goal from just outside the penalty box to the top left corner of the goal. Nuneaton 2-0 Ebbsfleet United.

14:07

Tom Phipp fouled by James Armson, the ref awards a free kick. Joe Howe takes the free kick.

12:39

The ball is sent over by Neil Cartwright.

11:10

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by James Armson from the right by-line, clearance by Patrick Ada.

10:22

Tom James takes a shot.

7:42

The assist for the goal came from Stephen O'Halloran.

7:42 Goal scored

Goal - Andy Brown - Nuneaton 1 - 0 Ebbsfleet Andy Brown grabs a goal from inside the penalty area to the top left corner of the goal. Nuneaton 1-0 Ebbsfleet United.

5:09

Danny Sleath concedes a free kick for a foul on Neil Barrett. Preston Edwards takes the free kick.

0:00

The match has kicked off.

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