Liam Daish's Ebbsfleet host Tamworth on Saturday.

By Nick Hext

Sky Bet's Odds Compare All Prices

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	2pts Ebbsfleet to beat Tamworth at 2/1 (bet365, Stan James)	Some signs of a recovery and Tamworth are also struggling.
	1pt Ebbsfleet to win 1-0 at 17/2 (Sky Bet)	Defence will be key for Ebbsfleet.

It's been a horrible season so far for Ebbsfleet as the MyFootballClub takeover turns sour for the men from Kent.

Members of the website have a say on transfers and all major decisions at the club and a reduction in funds, after initial success as they won the FA Trophy and comfortably survived in the Blue Square Premier, has posed plenty of problems for manager Liam Daish.

A mass exodus of players in the summer, including midfielder lynchpin Stacy Long to Stevenage and burly striker Michael Gash to York, has seen Daish need to completely reconstruct his squad and it hasn't gone well.

The Fleet would be bottom of the table without Chester's 25-point deduction and they have failed to win any of their previous 13 games and haven't got on the scoresheet in their last six games.

However, there are some signs of a slight recovery at Stonebridge Road. They caused real problems for promotion chasers York last Saturday as they fell to a 1-0 away defeat and nearly secured a point with only nine-men as they lost by the same scoreline in their previous home game against Wrexham.

There is also quality in their squad. Goalkeeper Lance Cronin and defender Darius Charles should be attracting the attention of Football League scouts and winger Ishmael Welsh has the ability to light up any match at this level.

Despite this a lack of prowess in attack is the main reason for their struggles. There could be a saviour on the horizon, however, as the club have received more than £6,000 in donations to fund a three-month loan for a striker.

"I want a physical presence, someone to get on the end of crosses. At this level you need pace or a physical presence if you are going to cause problems," Daish told the Gravesend Messenger last week.

Wise words but the mystery man has still to arrive in Kent ahead of Saturday's clash at home to Tamworth. If the striker does sign this looks to be a good time to back the Fleet as the Lambs have only won one game in their last seven so could be ripe for the picking.

Ebbsfleet are available at 2/1 with bet365 and Stan James to bag the three points and those odds look tempting. They have produced improved showing in their last two games and the second half display at York should provide some much-needed confidence.

It is hard to justify the men from Kent suddenly going goal crazy so the 17/2 on offer for a 1-0 win to the hosts is also worth a small punt as their star performers in defence will be key as they battle for Blue Square Premier survival.