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Charlie Seaman scored a late equaliser to preserve Ebbsfleet’s unbeaten start to the National League South season on Tuesday night.
The Fleet twice came from behind against an excellent Horsham side at Stonebridge Road as they ended up with a point.
Ebbsfleet named an unchanged team from the side that won 6-1 against Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.
Horsham announced the signing of forward Jimmy Wild from Chatham Town prior to kick-off but he took his place on the bench for the visitors alongside former Gills man Ashley Nadesan.
Ebbsfleet scored 11 goals in their last two home games but Horsham came flying out of the blocks and twice went close in the first four minutes. Reece Meekums saw his low effort turned away for a corner before it needed a fine stop by Fleet keeper Will Buse to deny Greg Luer.
At the other end, Horsham were determined and organised. They were indebted to defender Lee Harding’s fine block after nine minutes to thwart Toby Edser after he met Ben Chapman’s cross.
Fleet started to get into their groove as Chapman’s shot was saved and Peake’s goalbound effort blocked to safety.
However, the hosts were dealt a blow when in-form Kwesi Appiah came off inside the opening half-hour with a leg injury.
Within a minute, they were behind. Niall McManus made good ground down the right wing for Horsham and slid the ball across for Ronan Silva to expertly finish into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Buse did well to hold onto Harding’s low 30-yard shot while Howes had to push away Edser’s 20-yard effort at the other end as the Fleet trailed at the break.
The visitors had a golden chance to make it 2-0 just one minute into the second half when Luer raced clear but his low shot was brilliantly saved by Buse.
Ebbsfleet boss Josh Wright had seen enough and made a double change just seven minutes after the break.
They nearly levelled the scores two minutes later but Chapman’s rasping 35-yard right-foot shot came crashing back off the crossbar.
The game looked to be getting away from the home side but they drew level in fortuitous circumstances with 12 minutes left. A short corner was worked back out to Peake and his deep cross was somehow flapped into his own net by Howes.
But Ebbsfleet were only back on level terms for five minutes as they left substitute Jamie Yila was plenty of room to slot beyond Buse.
Chapman’s deflected cross was spilt by Howes as the Fleet pushed for an equaliser. They had six minutes of stoppage to rescue a point and substitute Seaman needed only two of them to fire in a long range special and make it 2-2.
Ebbsfleet: Buse, Passley, Gbadebo, Nelson (Tizzard 69mins), Chapman, Vennings, Kennedy (Box 69mins), Edser (Barnes 52mins), Ogunleye (Seaman 52mins), Peake, Appiah (Oteh 27mins). Subs not used: Vokins, Walker.
Horsham: Howes, Cox (Sparks 54mins), Elliott, Bartley, Harding (Brivio 89mins), Hester-Cook, Barker, McManus (Nadesan 61mins), Silva (Yila 72mins), Luer (Wild 81mins), Meekums. Subs not used: Haigh, Taylor.
Referee: Craig Bennett.
Attendance: 1,134.