Substitutes strike late as unbeaten Ebbsfleet keep rising

Monday 12 October 2026 · By Tessa Gadsby

Ebbsfleet United’s remarkable recovery goes on. Josh Wright’s side won 2–0 at Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday, with late goals from substitutes Ben Chapman and Finlay Barnes, and they are into the top half of the Enterprise National League South for the first time this season.

Hampton held firm for most of the game, and Wright made a double change on 52 minutes in search of a breakthrough. It came on 79 minutes, when Chapman scored, and Barnes added a second five minutes later to seal the win.

Wright praised his side’s ability to grind out results. “There’ll always be an off day,” he told KentOnline. “You have to find a way.”

The win means Ebbsfleet are unbeaten in the league this season. They have 15 points from just seven games, with four wins and three draws, and they have conceded only three goals. They are 12th in the table, but they have played four games fewer than most of the sides above them.

That is because of a turbulent summer. Ebbsfleet faced a winding-up crisis over unpaid HMRC debts and were suspended, which meant their first six league fixtures were postponed. New owner John O’Leary, who took over in August 2026, paid HMRC and the players, and the suspension was lifted on 2 September. A registration embargo and a suspended six-point deduction were among the sanctions reported at the time.

Since returning, Ebbsfleet have been in fine form. They beat Folkestone Invicta 1–0 at home on Tuesday 6 October, and the win at Hampton was their second in five days.

Wright’s squad is stretched by injuries. Charlie Seaman, Dominic Samuel and Jake Hessenthaler are all out, and Will Tizzard is the latest to be added to the list. That will be a concern with a busy run of fixtures ahead.

The next game comes quickly. Ebbsfleet host AFC Totton on Tuesday 13 October, kick-off 7.45pm, in one of their rearranged fixtures. The match has not yet been played. A win would take them level on points with Weston-super-Mare and Dover Athletic, who are sixth and seventh.

Ebbsfleet then host Weston-super-Mare on Saturday 17 October, and Horsham on Tuesday 20 October. They are at home again to Maidenhead United on Saturday 24 October, before a Kent derby at leaders Maidstone United on Tuesday 27 October. Their other rearranged games, against Farnborough and Chelmsford City, are in November.

Chapman and Barnes both came off the bench to make the difference, which says a lot about the strength in depth Wright has at his disposal despite the injuries.

It is a demanding schedule for a squad with injuries, but Ebbsfleet have shown they can handle adversity. From a winding-up petition to the play-off hunt, Wright’s side have come a long way in a short time, and their games in hand give them a real chance to climb the table.