Ebbsfleet United 2-1 FC Halifax Town: Fleet through to FA Cup second round

Rakish Bingham struck the second-half winner to send Ebbsfleet into the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in 10 years after a 2-1 win over 10-man FC Halifax.

Bingham decided it after the sides had gone in level at the break, with Jamie Cooke cancelling out Toby Edser’s opener for Ebbsfleet.

It might have been a different story had Jack Senior not been sent off after 56 minutes, but that helped swing the momentum of the tie firmly in Ebbsfleet’s favour.

The hosts went ahead when the excellent Edser’s cross from the left drifted through the six-yard box and could not 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 into the net, leaving Mark Cousins motionless.

Town 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 had had a shot tipped behind by Sam Johnson before Bingham’s goal.

Sterling-James nearly made it three when his outrageous effort from 30 yards crashed off the bar.