Ebbsfleet United v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: Stonebridge Road

Date: Saturday, October 7

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Michael Crusham

Odds: Ebbsfleet win 29/20, draw 12/5, Halifax win 17/10

In the league this season

Ebbsfleet: PL14 W5 D1 L8 F22 A27 GD-5 Pts16

Halifax: PL14 W4 D6 L4 F14 A14 GD0 Pts18

Last five games

Ebbsfleet: Woking (a) D 1-1, Altrincham (a) L 6-1, Dorking (h) L 1-0, Boreham Wood (h) W 3-1, Eastleigh (a) L 5-2

Halifax: Dorking (h) L 1-0, Chesterfield (a) L 3-2, Barnet (a) D 0-0, Dag & Red (h) D 0-0, Eastleigh (h) L 3-2, Woking (a) W 2-1

Scorers

Ebbsfleet: Poleon (7), McQueen (4), O'Neill (3), Domi (2), Cisse, Wright, Tanner, Sterling-James, Cundle, Odokonyero

Halifax: Harker (3), Senior (2), Alli (2), Evans, Cummings, Summerfield, Keane, Hoti, Cappello, Golden

Manager: German Dennis Kutrieb was appointed in June 2020, joining from Tennis Borussia Berlin, and signed a new two-year contract in summer 2022. He led Ebbsfleet to the National League South play-off final, where they were beaten by Dorking Wanderers after extra-time, before storming to the title last season by 20 points..

Last season: 1st in National League South

One to watch: 28-year-old Darren McQueen has previously been used mainly as a wing-back but scored twice against Boreham Wood recently in a more familiar attacking role before also netting a brace at Eastleigh last time out.

Head-to-head: Played 19, Ebbsfleet wins 10, draws 2, Halifax wins 7

Last time they met: Goals by Toby Edser and Rakish Bingham saw Ebbsfleet knock Halifax out of the FA Cup in November. last season

Match facts: Ebbsfleet will move above Halifax in the table if they win, while Halifax could move into the top seven if they get three points.

Halifax have only won once in their last seven visits to Ebbsfleet, failing to score in five of them.

Only Solihull have conceded fewer National League goals this season than Halifax (14), while only Solihull and Woking have conceded fewer away goals in the division than Town (8).

Only Maidenhead and Kidderminster have scored fewer goals in the fifth tier this season than The Shaymen (14).

Only Oxford City and Fylde have conceded more goals in the division this season than Ebbsfleet (27).

Only Maidenhead have conceded fewer goals at home this season in the division than Ebbsfleet (6).

Both teams have only won once in their last seven matches.

Saturday's National League fixtures:

Boreham Wood v Chesterfield

Ebbsfleet United v FC Halifax Town

Gateshead v Altrincham

Hartlepool United v Eastleigh

Kidderminster Harriers v Wealdstone

Maidenhead United v Rochdale

Oldham Athletic v Dagenham & Redbridge

Oxford City v AFC Fylde

Solihull Moors v Aldershot Town

Woking v Southend United

York City v Bromley

Dorking Wanderers v Barnet