Ten-man Town knocked out of the FA Cup after 2-1 defeat at Ebbsfleet

What is it with The Shaymen, cup competitions and lower league opposition? It continues to be a combination Halifax have no answer to and continues to cost them dear.

To Halesowen, South Shields and Kidderminster of recent years, Ebbsfleet can now be added to the list.

Rakish Bingham scored the winner after the sides had gone in level at the break, with Jamie Cooke cancelling out Toby Edser's opener.

It might have been a different story had Jack Senior not been sent-off, but that helped swing the momentum of the tie firmly in Ebbsfleet's favour.

Injuries to Jesse Debrah, Festus Arthur and Jordan Slew necessitated a reshuffle, with Town matching Ebbsfleet by starting in a 3-5-2.

Rob Harker, rewarded for his winner against Oldham with a start, forced an early save from Mark Cousins before failing to dribble round him after a lovely through ball by Cooke.

The hosts went ahead when the excellent Toby Edser's cross from the left drifted through the six-yard box and couldn't be cleared at the back post by Senior.

Cooke then sprinkled some FA Cup magic on the contest when he let fly from 25 yards and his shot swerved and dipped and ripped trough the air, leaving Cousins motionless.

Edser was a menace down the left, forcing a save from Sam Johnson either side of two chances for Dom Poleon, one when he was played onside by Jamie Stott, who redeemed himself with a block, and the other that was well saved at an angle by the Town keeper.

Town's back three was being pulled apart, with Ebbsfleet flowing forward, far smoother and silkier, their centre-backs stepping out on the ball and some good passages being constructed.

In contrast, Town struggled to keep the ball and build anything; Cooke had produced a magic moment in the number 10 position, but had hardly got a kick of the ball there since, and neither had Mani Dierseruvwe or Harker.

The Shaymen at least managed to slow the Ebbsfleet flow as the first-half went on by engaging higher up the pitch and offering more protection to the patched-up back line of Tom Clarke, Stott and Senior, with Harvey Gilmour at left wing-back.

Ebbsfleet were finding it harder to play through Halifax, who broke four on two but wasted the chance.

That was the first of five instances where they regained possession inside the Ebbsfleet half before half-time, forcing mistakes from the hosts through aggressive pressing, but frustratingly failed to make anything from it.

Town ended the opening half stronger, operating further up the pitch, imposing themselves much more. When they did, the looked the higher league outfit.

They again fell behind when Bingham converted a corner at the near post, and things went from bad to worse when Senior was sent-off for a second booking when he tripped Omari Sterling-Jones, who'd had a shot tipped behind by Johnson before Bingham's goal.

Ebbsfleet had started the second-half just that bit sharper, and were now swarming over Town, whose back three needed another re-jig, with Jack Hunter stepping back into defence.

The protection for the Town back line had eroded since Senior's dismissal, while Town had no out-ball, unable to get up the pitch.

A low shot from 20 yards by Greg Cundle inched wide with Johnson at full stretch; Halifax's cup hopes were hanging in the balance.

They were nearly ended when Sterling-James' outrageous effort from 30 yards crashed off the bar, and then another Ebbsfleet effort curled just wide from a similar distance.

Matty Warburton made his first appearance for over a month off the bench but still the chances came and went, as Bingham was denied by Johnson one-on-one.

Eventually the chances tailed off, but none materialised for Town, who went out of the cup with a whimper.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O'Neill, Jombati, Hollis, Chapman, Edser (Romain 82), Sterling-James (Domi 90), Tanner, Cundle (Paxman 87), Poleon, Bingham (Coulthirst 82). Subs not used: McQueen, Haigh, Solly, Monlouis.

Scorers: Edser (13), Bingham (53)

Shots on target: 7

Shots off target: 9

Corners: 8

Halifax: Johnson, Golden, Clarke, Stott, Senior, Gilmour (Summerfield 86), Hunter (Warburton 74), Spence, Cooke, Harker (Capello 60), Dierseruvwe. Subs: Scott, Minihan, Alli, Furtado.

Scorer: Cooke (17)

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 3

Corners: 2

Attendance: 2,099

Referee: Ed Duckworth

Town man of the match: Sam Johnson, made some excellent saves from clear-cut Ebbsfleet chances.