Ebbsfleet United 0 Oxford City 4 match report: Billy Clifford sent off in National League defeat

Shell-shocked Ebbsfleet face a National League relegation battle after a dismal home display against Oxford City on Saturday.

The Fleet lost and had Billy Clifford sent off in the opening half-hour as they dropped alarmingly into the bottom three having lost a game that was probably billed as ‘must-win’ by most home fans.

It’s now no win in seven league games for the Fleet, another game without a clean sheet and their early-season vigour has been replaced by a clear lack of confidence.

Ebbsfleet made one change from the side that drew 2-2 at Hartlepool last week with Chris Solly replacing Luke O’Neill but any confidence from that result seemingly evaporated in the first five minutes at Stonebridge Road.

Craig Tanner gave the ball away cheaply on the edge of his own penalty after four minutes but Oxford striker Oliver Sanderson saw his shot turned behind by keeper Mark Cousins.

The visitors went ahead from the resulting corner, which proved almost a carbon copy of the first goal scored by Slough in their FA Cup tie. Latrell Humphrey-Ewers crossed from the right and the unmarked Cole Kpekawa - making his debut after joining on loan from Bromley - headed in.

Referee Ruebyn Ricardo was to have a busy half with a number of yellow cards being shown. The first came on just 11 minutes when Billy Clifford was cautioned after a foul in the build-up for an Oxford attack, the official going back when play was stopped.

Before the cards started to flow, Oxford were busy taking control of the game and they went 2-0 up on 13 minutes. Keeper Cousins looked to have turned over Zac McEachran’s 20-yard right-foot shot but the ball looped high in the air and bounced just inside the far post.

It could have been worse as another Oxford