Worthing 2 Ebbsfleet United 0 match report: Worthing win National League South title as Ebbsfleet miss out on play-offs

Ebbsfleet missed out on the play-offs as Worthing were crowned National League South champions on Saturday.

The Fleet needed a point to guarantee a top-seven finish while the hosts knew victory would a victory would see them win the title.

A sell-out crowd of 4,002 at Woodside Road were able to celebrate promotion to the National League after a goal at the end of the first half was followed by one early in the second period.

Ebbsfleet made one change from the side that beat Hampton last weekend with Ben Chapman returning from injury to replace Finlay Barnes.

The visitors started brightly and created plenty of chances in the opening 15 minutes.

Charlie Seaman ran across the penalty area before setting up Gene Kennedy who fired over, Kwesi Appiah’s overhead kick was deflected over the bar before the resulting corner saw Seaman fire narrowly wide of the upright.

Ben Coker’s 26th-minute corner fell perfectly for Appiah but his close-range snapshot was brilliantly blocked by keeper Taylor Seymour.

Worthing started to enjoy more possession but the Fleet’s high press was giving them little room to maneouvre.

It took the hosts 30 minutes to have a serious attempt at goal as a short corner routine saw a goalbound shot blocked before Teddy Jenks fired over after the Fleet failed to clear the ball in their own penalty area.

Ebbsfleet should have gone ahead on 38 minutes when Worthing gave the ball away trying to play out at the back and Chapman’s shot was blocked by the chest of Seymour.

Three minutes later, Worthing were ahead. Centre-back Joe Cook was allowed to advance to the edge of the area before feeding Razzaq Coleman De-Graft. His shot was blocked but the ball went straight to Cook, who fired an unstoppable right-foot shot