Walton & Hersham 0 Ebbsfleet United 2 match report: Goals from Dominic Samuel and Toby Edser in National League South victory

Ebbsfleet eased to a comfortable victory in their first National League South of the season on Saturday.

Goals from Dominic Samuel and Toby Edser at the start of either half did the damage against bottom club Walton & Hersham for the Fleet.

After a 28-day delay to their season, there was a celebratory feel among a strong travelling Fleet contingent.

In many ways the result was irrelevant, they were just glad to see their team finally back in action.

Ebbsfleet had been suspended by the National League but it’s been all systems go since that was lifted on Wednesday morning.

Manager Josh Wright named four debutants in his starting line-up, including keeper Will Buse.

The visitors were keen to make up for lost time and took the lead after just 122 seconds. Ben Chapman did well to keep the ball in play down the right wing and his cross eventually fell for Samuel, who held off Sam German in the box and turned to fire home into the top corner.

The lead should have been doubled on 11 minutes as the Fleet enjoyed a dominant start to proceedings. Gene Kennedy did well to win the ball in midfield and unselfishly played in Edser, who could only fire into the side netting from a good position.

Walton slowly got back into the contest but failed to test Buse although they did cause problems from a couple of corners and Matas Skarna sent a dangerous cross along the six-yard box.

Ebbsfleet finished the half strongly with Finlay Barnes twice having shots deflected, one going wide and the other finding on-loan Bromley keeper Dillon Addai in stoppage time.

It took the Fleet just six minutes of the second half to double their advantage.

Barnes’ clever pass set up Jake Vokins down the left and his pull back was clinically dispatched into the