Michael Duff hails Alex Addai’s impact for Cheltenham

Posted Wednesday, November 21, 2018 by PA

Cheltenham manager Michael Duff praised the impact of substitute Alex Addai after his side’s 2-0 FA Cup first-round replay win over 10-man Ebbsfleet.

Addai set one up within seconds of coming on and then scored the other to ensure the Robins progressed to face Accrington Stanley away in round two.

“From a manager’s point of view, it’s a little bit of luck really, but we thought Alex could come on and affect it because they had two burly centre-halves having a really big physical battle with Tyrone (Barnett) and Luke (Varney),” Duff said.

“Alex could come on and run in behind and it’s something we discussed at half-time as a staff and a potential change.

“He came on and he impacted the game and that’s what you want.

“We played him down the middle and asked him to get on it, run in behind and stretch them because the centre-halves do have a problem then because they can’t drop off because you can play into the front big men and if they do get too high he can run in behind, which is what he did so I was pleased for him.”

Ebbsfleet were close to opening the scoring on the break in the 34th minute, with Corey Whitely denied by Scott Flinders’ block.

Ryan Broom then went close for Cheltenham in the 41st minute, but his effort was just wide after Chris Hussey’s cross was palmed to him by Nathan Ashmore.

The deadlock was broken in the 66th minute when Addai beat his man and crossed from the left with his first touches after replacing Conor Thomas.

His ball in was helped on by Varney and headed in by a diving Barnett for his third goal of the season.

Kedwell had a sight of goal for Ebbsfleet late on, but Will Boyle blocked well twice.

Ebbsfleet’s misery was compounded in the 82nd minute when Sam Magri was sent off for two yellow cards in quick succession, one for a foul on Addai and the second for dissent.

And Addai tapped in the second deep into stoppage time after Varney’s low shot was parried by Ashmore.

Ebbsfleet boss Garry Hill was left to rue not finishing the job off in the first match at the Kuflink Stadium.

“I’ve noticed since joining the club decision making and the lack of quality in the final third has proved costly for us, and it hurt us again tonight,” Hill said.

“Good luck to Cheltenham, I’ll take nothing away from them and their performance, but we shouldn’t have played them in all honesty.

“That’s not being rude to them, but we should already be in the second round.

“We had enough chances and opportunities in the first match, and battered them for 25 minutes and they only worked the keeper once.

“At 1-0 tonight, the substitute (Alex Addai) came on, and we knew he was a dangerous weapon and he changed the game. We saw his quality down at our place and looked lively.”