FC Halifax Town v Ebbsfleet United preview

Venue: Wham Stadium

Date: Tuesday, April 16

Kick-off: 7.45pm

Referee: Garreth Rhodes has shown 85 yellow cards and five red cards in 19 matches this season. He was in charge for Town's 2-1 home win over Kidderminster in October and their 2-0 win at Gateshead in December. He also officiated Ebbsfleet's 1-0 win at Rochdale on the opening day of the season and their 3-0 win over Eastleigh in February.

Odds: Halifax 11/10, draw 5/2, Ebbsfleet 2/1

In the league this season

Halifax: 7th - PL43 W18 D12 L13 F53 A48 GD5 Pts66

Ebbsfleet: 20th - PL44 W14 D10 L20 F59 A74 GD-15 Pts52

Last five games

Halifax: Chesterfield (h) W 4-2, Hartlepool (a) L 1-0, York (h) D 1-1, Kidderminster (a) W 2-0, Barnet (h) L 2-0

Ebbsfleet: Southend (h) D 1-1, Dag & Red (a) D 1-1, Fylde (h) W 2-1, Solihull (a) L 3-0, Altrincham (h) L 2-0

Scorers

Halifax: Alli (7), Harker (7), Wright (6), Hoti (5), Summerfield (4), Senior (4), Oluwabori (4), Cosgrave (4), Cooke (2), Thomson-Sommers, Evans, Cummings, Keane, Cappello, Golden, Hunter, Stott, George

Ebbsfleet: Poleon (16), Bingham (7), Samuel (6), O'Neill (6), McQueen (4), Cundle (3), Chapman (3), Cisse (2), Domi (2), Odokonyero (2), Clifford (2), Bilongo, Cousins, Edser, Sterling-James, Tanner, Wright

Manager: Danny Searle has only lost three times in his 13 matches in charge of Ebbsfleet. Searle was in temporary charge of the club following the sacking of Dennis Kutrieb and led them to draws against Oldham and Chesterfield before getting the job permanently. He has previously managed Aldershot in the fifth tier and has worked in the League of Ireland and at Premier League academy level.

Last season: 1st in National League South

One to watch: Former Mansfield, Hartlepool and Hamilton forward Rakish Bingham has seven goals in 19 league games this season. He reached double figures in his other three seasons with the club, scoring 17 times as they got promoted last term.

Head-to-head: Played 20, Halifax wins 8, draws 2, Ebbsfleet wins 10

Last time they met: Adam Senior and Aaron Cosgrave scored as Town won 2-0 at Ebbsfleet in October.

Match facts: Halifax have scored in eight of their last ten home games.

Halifax have only kept a clean sheet in one of their last ten home outings.

Ebbsfleet have only won once in their last six away games.

Ebbsfleet have only kept two clean sheets in their 21 away matches this season, and have conceded in each of their last nine matches.

A win for Halifax would realistically put them one more win, or an Aldershot defeat at Gateshead on Wednesday, away from sealing a play-off place.

Depending on how they and Boreham Wood get on, Ebbsfleet could either find themselves safe from relegation or in the drop zone by full-time.

Tuesday's National League fixtures:

Rochdale v Boreham W

Halifax v Ebbsfleet

Oxford C v Bromley

Wealdstone v Eastleigh