National League – South · National League South – 13
Saturday 24 October, kickoff 15:00 · Stonebridge Road Stadium
Ebbsfleet United will look to maintain their impressive early-season momentum when they welcome Maidenhead to Stonebridge Road Stadium, Northfleet, on Saturday 24 October, with a 15:00 BST kick-off. Sitting second in the National League South table with 22 points from ten unbeaten matches, Dennis Searle’s side have established themselves as genuine title contenders, and a home fixture against a struggling Maidenhead outfit represents a fine opportunity to keep the pressure on at the top of the division.
The form guide
6W 4D 0L · GD +16
DWWWW
3W 4D 5L · GD -1
LLWDL
Ebbsfleet’s form heading into this fixture is nothing short of outstanding. The Fleet have not tasted defeat in any of their ten league outings this season, winning six and drawing four, and their last five matches tell a similarly encouraging story — four wins and a draw, with the solitary point dropped coming in their most recent outing. With an attack rating of 100% and a form rating of 87%, Searle’s men are firing on virtually all cylinders and will be full of confidence as they step out in front of their home supporters.
Maidenhead, by contrast, arrive in Northfleet in considerably less settled form. Alan Devonshire’s side have managed just one win, one draw and three defeats from their last five matches, with back-to-back losses in their two most recent outings making for uncomfortable reading. A form rating of just 27%, coupled with defensive and attacking ratings that lag well behind their hosts, paints a picture of a team searching for consistency. Sitting 18th in the table with 13 points from 12 games, the visitors will need to produce something special to take anything from this trip to Kent.
The head-to-head record
| Date | Competition | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar 2019 | National League | Ebbsfleet United | 3-0 | Maidenhead |
| 12 Oct 2019 | National League | Ebbsfleet United | 1-2 | Maidenhead |
| 25 Feb 2020 | National League | Maidenhead | 1-3 | Ebbsfleet United |
| 21 Nov 2023 | National League | Ebbsfleet United | 1-1 | Maidenhead |
| 23 Jan 2024 | National League | Maidenhead | 0-1 | Ebbsfleet United |
The recent history between these two sides makes for interesting reading. When the teams met at Maidenhead in January 2024, Ebbsfleet came away with a 1-0 victory, and the reverse fixture in November 2023 ended 1-1 at Stonebridge Road. Casting further back, Ebbsfleet claimed a convincing 3-1 win at Maidenhead in February 2020, while Maidenhead turned the tables with a 2-1 victory in Northfleet in October 2019. A 3-0 home win for Ebbsfleet in March 2019 rounds out the five most recent meetings. The head-to-head record leans in Ebbsfleet’s favour, and the Fleet will be keen to build on that advantage on home soil once again.
The men in the dugout
Ebbsfleet United
MaidenheadDennis Searle has overseen a remarkable start to the campaign at Stonebridge Road, guiding Ebbsfleet to second place without suffering a single league defeat. His side’s blend of attacking intent and defensive solidity suggests a well-drilled and tactically coherent unit, and Searle will be eager to see that work continue against a beatable opponent this weekend. For Maidenhead, Alan Devonshire faces the challenge of arresting a slide that has seen his side slip into the lower reaches of the table. A positive result here would do much to ease the pressure and provide a platform for a recovery.
Players to watch
No individual player from either side has emerged as a standout league scorer in the data available ahead of this fixture, meaning the contest may well be decided by collective effort and team shape rather than individual brilliance. Ebbsfleet’s strength appears to lie in their overall cohesion — their near-perfect attacking rating suggests goals are being shared across the squad — while Maidenhead will need their most creative players to step up if they are to trouble a defence that has conceded precious little this season.
The prediction
Bookmaker advice: Double chance : Ebbsfleet United or draw
The numbers strongly favour the hosts. Ebbsfleet hold a significant advantage across every key metric — form, attack, defence and head-to-head record — and the prediction engine assigns the visitors a 0% chance of claiming all three points. Maidenhead have shown they are capable of picking up results, as their draw and win in recent weeks demonstrate, but replicating that on the road against one of the division’s in-form sides is a tall order. A home win looks the most likely outcome, though Ebbsfleet’s supporters will be mindful that the Fleet’s unbeaten run is worth protecting. Expect Ebbsfleet to edge a competitive afternoon’s football and claim another three points at Stonebridge Road.
League standings
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Maidstone Utd | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | +9 | 25 |
| 2 | Ebbsfleet United | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | +16 | 22 |
| 3 |  Salisbury | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | +12 | 21 |
| 4 |  Billericay Town | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | +11 | 21 |
Preview data via api-football. Form, head-to-head, standings, manager and prediction figures sourced live at the time of compilation; squad and team-news availability subject to last-minute change.