Boreham Wood 0 Ebbsfleet United 0 match report: Fleet stay up in National League but Boreham Wood are relegated

Ebbsfleet survived on the final day of the National League season after claiming a goalless draw at Boreham Wood on Saturday lunchtime.

The result saw Wood relegated but it was all about the remarkable turnaround under Danny Searle for the Fleet as they stayed up against the odds.

Searle has revitalised the Fleet since his arrival in February and they got their rewards for an amazing effort.

Ebbsfleet made two changes from the side that drew with FC Halifax in midweek.

Top scorer Dominic Poleon and Billy Clifford returned to the starting XI while Luke O’Neill and Dominic Samuel were on the bench after injury.

The first chance fell to the home side when a long throw-in - their main attacking weapon via ex-Fleet defender Chris Bush - fell to another former Ebbsfleet man in Jack Payne but his shot was deflected just wide of the upright.

Ebbsfleet created the better openings in the first 45 minutes. Ben Chapman’s cross was eventually worked to Dominic Poleon but he shot horribly high and wide.

Poleon soon found his range though and forced keeper Nathan Ashmore - another former Fleet man - into action as he had to push his low drive away from 25 yards.

Boreham Wood probably had the edge physically so the Fleet had to be cute with their corner routines - and they were. The first two from the right nearly fell perfecly at the near post for a shot on goal. Then Poleon’s shot was deflected just out of the path of Bryant Bilongo at the far post.

The closest the Fleet came was on 26 minutes when Bingham started and nearly finished a move as he collected Bilongo’s pass behind the defender and his cross-shot forced an excellent reflex save at the near post by Ashmore.

Ebbsfleet were dealt a major blow on the half-hour when the