Ebbsfleet United 1 Bishop’s Stortford 1 FA Trophy match report (Bishop’s Stortford win 5-3 on penalties)

Ebbsfleet’s Dominic Samuel missed the decisive spot-kick as they were knocked out of the FA Trophy on Saturday.

The Fleet appeared to be heading through after substitute Greg Cundle put them ahead but Stortford claimed a stoppage-time equaliser and then converted all five spot-kicks in the penalty shoot-out.

The Fleet made five changes from the team beaten at Kidderminster in the league last weekend with a rare start for Jordon Ibe while Hayden White and David Amoo were also handed starting spots.

Rakish Bingham was named among the substitutes, his first squad appearance since injuring his Achilles in March.

There was a low-key atmosphere at Stonebridge Road, a reflection no doubt of the interest in the FA Trophy at this stage of the competition for sides in the National League.

But the teams did their best to raise the noise with plenty of chances at either end in the first 15 minutes.

Within the first 100 seconds, the impressive Dominic Samuel was sent clean through but keeper Jack Giddens saved with an outstretched leg and the rebound then bounced back off Samuel before bouncing just wide of a vacant goal.

Stortford responded in swift fashion, helped by the Fleet conceding possession cheaply in their own half on more than one occasion.

Keeper Mark Cousins did well to deny Ryan Charles before brilliantly touching Mbunya Alemanji’s effort onto the crossbar before getting up to deny the same player from the rebound.

Darren Foxley tried his luck from distance but was thwarted by Cousins before Fleet’s Samuel sent a 20-yard effort just over at the other end. Toby Edser exchanged passes on the edge of the area but Giddens did brilliantly to turn his low drive around the post for a corner.

The chances dried up thereafter,