National League basement dwellers Ebbsfleet are set to host playoff-hunting Solihull Moors at Stonebridge Road on Saturday afternoon, with both teams looking to end winless runs in the league.
The hosts have collected just eight points from their opening 17 matches, while the visitors are ninth in the table and have amassed 25 points from 17 games, leaving them only three points behind the playoff spots.
Match preview
© Imago
Since being promoted from the National League North as champions in 2015-16, securing the title with 85 points from 42 outings, Solihull have experienced a highly inconsistent time in the National League.
They finished 18th and 15th in their first two seasons before recording a superb second-placed finish in 2018-19, narrowly missing out on the title by just three points followed by losing in the playoff semifinal to AFC Fylde.
Solihull then disappointingly dropped out of the playoff places in the next two years, placing ninth and 11th in 2019-20 and 2020-21, before jumping to third in 2021-22, heartbreakingly losing in the playoff final 2-1 to Grimsby Town.
The Moors endured an underwhelming 2022-23 season, finishing 15th in the table, but bounced back with a return to the playoffs last year, securing fifth place before devastatingly losing 4-3 on penalties to Bromley after a 2-2 draw in 120 minutes in the playoff final.
That left Solihull entering into this season still in pursuit of their promotion to League Two for the first ever time, but they have had a far from ideal start in that quest.
Andy Whing's side currently sit ninth in the table, albeit just three points behind seventh-placed Yeovil Town with 25 points from 17 matches, but their form has been extremely inconsistent so far this season.
They won just two of their first seven matches, then triumphed in back-to-back games against Yeovil and Rochdale, but have since won only three of their next eight outings, including failing to win their last two.
Whing will now be aiming to end that winless run and attempt to close the gap on the playoff places as Solihull ultimately dream of a historic promotion at the end of the season.
A trip to Ebbsfleet could provide the perfect change for the Moors to secure a victory, with Saturday's hosts having had a dreadful opening to the 2024-25 campaign.
Ebbsfleet sit rock bottom of the National League table after 17 games, having earned just eight points from one win, five draws, and 11 defeats, and are heading into this match without a win in their last eight league outings.
Their miserable beginning to the campaign led to the sacking of manager Danny Searle after Ebbsfleet had just one point from seven games, with new boss Harry Watling hired in an attempt to improve their form.
Watling secured a fantastic 1-0 win in his first match in charge against Hartlepool United, but has ultimately struggled to make the desired impact, with Ebbsfleet winning just two of his 12 games in charge across all competitions.
With Saturday's hosts already eight points adrift of safety, Watling will be desperate for his side to secure a much-needed victory as they look to climb up the table.
Team News
The hosts have recorded two successive draws in their most recent National League fixtures, 2-2 with Wealdstone and 1-1 with Tamworth, and that could lead Watling to name a similar side here.
Dominic Poleon was relegated to the bench in the last draw, but as Ebbsfleet search for just their second league win, their top scorer could make a return to the starting lineup.
Franklin Domi is ruled out for the hosts after the midfielder was give his marching orders in the 81st minute against Tamworth for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Solihull threw away a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 with Altrincham in their last outing, conceding two goals in the 82nd and 90th minutes, but an overall encouraging performance could see Whing name the same side here.
Jack Stevens has been particularly impressive for the Moors this campaign, scoring eight times in 13 league appearances, including eight in his last nine games across all competitions, and the midfielder is expected to keep his place in the team for this one.
Ebbsfleet possible starting lineup:
Cousins; Kane, Stewart, Cordner, Chapman; Fonguck, Kellerman, Wright, Edser; Cosgrave, Poleon
Solihull Moors possible starting lineup:
Walker; Oakley, Clarke, Whitmore, Newton; Adu-Poku, Bowen, Osborne, Stevens; Stevenson, Wilkinson
We say: Ebbsfleet 1-3 Solihull Moors
Ebbsfleet are undoubtedly the underdogs heading into this match due to their abysmal beginning to the campaign, and having already conceded 37 times in 17 games, we expect a comfortable victory for the playoff-hunting Solihull.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
