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Steve Harris – @steveharris84
MATCH DETAILS
Match details: Ebbsfleet United vs Torquay United
Competition: National League South
Venue: The Kuflink Stadium, Northfleet
Date: Saturday, 7th March 2026
Kick-off: 3pm
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Torquay: 5
Draw: 2
Ebbsfleet: 3
CURRENT FORM (LAST 6)
Torquay: (0W – 2D – 4L):
L 0-1 Chippenham Town A
D 1-1 Maidenhead United H
L 2-4 Eastbourne Borough A
L 1-3 Worthing A
L 0-5 Chelmsford City H
D 2-2 Farnborough FC H
Ebbsfleet (1W – 5D – 0L):
D 2-2 Hemel Hempstead Town H
D 1-1 Salisbury FC A
D 2-2 Enfield Town H
W 4-0 AFC Totton H
D 2-2 Bath City A
D 2-2 Farnborough FC H
TOP GOAL-SCORERS
Torquay: Jordan Young (15)
Ebbsfleet: Dominic Samuel (14)
EBBSFLEET FACT FILE
Year founded: 1946 (as Gravesend & Northfleet)
Nickname: The Fleet
Last season’s league finish: 24th in the National League
Ebbsfleet United notable honours:
FA Trophy:
Winners: 2007-08
National League South:
Champions: 2022-23
Isthmian League:
Champions: 2001-02
Southern League:
Champions: 1957-58
MANAGER – JAKE WRIGHT
A Fleet midfielder who made the step up into management in December 2024 following the departure of Harry Watling, having served one game previously as caretaker manager earlier that season, he stopped his playing career to focus solely on his new management role.
As a player, he amassed more than 400 games in the EFL and signed for the Fleet from Billericay Town in summer 2022. A former Charlton Athletic and England international youth who spent two seasons in the Championship with Scunthorpe United, he also played for Millwall, Leyton Orient, Gillingham, Southend United, Bradford City and Crawley Town.
He won promotion with the Fleet in his first campaign as a player and took over the captain’s armband in 2023-24, making just shy of 100 appearances for the club before his move into the dugout.
PLAYER PROFILE – MAX EHMER
German-born centre-back who arrived at the Kuflink Stadium in summer 2025 having played almost 600 senior games, with nine of the last 10 seasons at Priestfield, making him the record appearance holder this century for the Gills. Ehmer came through QPR’s youth system, making his Championship debut in 2013.
Before that, he had gained plenty of loan experience elsewhere in the EFL with Yeovil Town in 2010-11, and later Preston North End, Stevenage and Carlisle United. Team captain at the Gills from 2017, he was a permanent fixture in the side for a decade.
He had a season at Bristol Rovers in League One in 2020-21 but returned to skipper the Gills once more after that.
PLAYER STATS:
Position: Centre Back
DOB: 03/02/92
Height: 1.88m
Previous Club: Gillingham
NLS Stats 25/26: Appearances: 17, Goals 0, Assists 0, Yellow/Red Cards 1/0
OLD BOYS
Torquay United: None
Ebbsfleet: Ronny Nelson
LAST MEETING
Last meeting: Saturday 20th September, Torquay United 1 Ebbsfleet United 0
Torquay United made it five home league wins out of five as they saw off the challenge of Ebbsfleet United at Plainmoor.
A first half effort from Jordan Young proved to be enough to keep the Gulls’ 100% home record intact – thus ensuring that they have won their opening five home league encounters for the first time since the 1982-83 season under Bruce Rioch.
The opening exchanges proved to be a very stop-start affair as Ebbsfleet threatened in the sixth minute when Aaron Cosgrave capitalised on a misplaced clearance, but could only fire tamely at Torquay keeper James Hamon.
Nevertheless, it was the Gulls who broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when Jay Foulston fed the returning Callum Dolan, and his cross from the left found Young who turned home his sixth of the campaign.
The hosts continued to create chances, forcing two corners in quick succession in the 34th minute without taking full advantage of them.
Two minutes after the re-start, Louis Dennis drew a smart save from Fleet keeper Mark Cousins following good work from Aldershot loanee Keane Anderson.
The Gulls went close again in the 58th minute when Cody Cooke fired straight at Cousins after he was teed up by Dennis.
Ebbsfleet midfielder Toby Edser saw a shot blocked by Torquay skipper Matt Worthington on 69 minutes as the visitors looked to gain a foothold in the game.
Fleet went close again in the 77th minute when Mustapha Olagunju nodded a free-kick from Ben Coker over the bar.
Two minutes later, Edser had another effort blocked, this time by Gulls’ centre back Sam Dreyer.
Deep in injury time, Young had the chance to complete a brace and end the match as a contest, but he blasted his shot at Cousins, but they still managed to hold on to win.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Torquay United (4-2-3-1): James Hamon; Jordan Thomas, Ed Palmer, Will Tizzard, Jay Foulston; Munashe Sundire, Matt Worthington; Dylan Morgan, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Kieran Wilson; Louis Dennis
Ebbsfleet United (3-5-2): Matt Hall, Josh Passley, Max Ehmer, Ronny Nelson; Charlie Seaman, Hessenthaler, Gene Kennedy, Ben Chapman, Lennon Peake; Finley Barnes, Kwesi Appiah
COYY – STEVE
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