Ebbsfleet United manager Josh Wright reacts to 3-1 National League South defeat at leaders Dorking Wanderers

Ebbsfleet manager Josh Wright felt his team gifted the points to leaders Dorking Wanderers on Saturday.

The Fleet led in National League South thanks to Ben Chapman’s tremendous first-half strike. But they shipped three second-half goals - including a goalkeeping howler by Matt Hall that presented the hosts an equaliser - as the momentum shifted.

“We've just given that game to them and I can't shy away from it,” said Wright. “I'll always come out and protect my players and back my players.

“We got our goal, a fantastic strike, and we knew it was going to be like that. We knew the game was going to be like that and we could hurt them in transition.

“But then talk about throwing a game away and hand the game over and I can't legislate for that. I can't stand here and say how and why that's happened.

“Matty's made the decision that he's made in terms of when the ball comes back to him. I don't think anyone in the stadium can believe it, why he's done it and how that's happened and we've given him a leg up.

“We've given him it and then the second goal is as scrappy as you're going to get.

“I do hear Matty shout for that one, but the header comes and then it ricochets.

“We've given that game away. Credit to Dorking, credit to Marc White, they've got a good way, they've got an expensive way of playing and they're up the top for a reason.

“They're a good side and I wish them all the best, a lot of time for Marc, a fantastic guy, but talk about giving the game away.

“You cannot do that in men's football. You cannot give away opportunities and moments and decisive moments in games at the wrong time.

“We just said to the boys there, we've just handed them over the three points and that's the bitterly disappointing thing to me.”

Eb