The hosts kept the Steve Cook Cup at the Steve Cook Stadium for the first time as they overcame a spirited late fightback by an Ebbsfleet United XI to prevail by the odd goal in seven.
The sixth pre-season meeting of the clubs saw Elijah Anthony joined by a long list of trialists and several Academy youngsters as Josh Wright spoke of his intention to use the first match to cast his eye over available players and those coming through the youth system.
Punjab took the lead just before the 10-minute mark when Roman Campbell went up against the goalkeeper in the air and as the ball spilled loose, he was able to keep his balance to finish despite protests from the red shirts for a foul.
The same player converted a cross on 25 minutes to extend Punjab’s lead after a couple of free-kick chances for the Fleet went astray in between.
Punjab came out in the second-half and extended their lead almost immediately when Ethan Okechukwu nipped in to gather the ball from the Fleet goalkeeper’s attempted grasp and he fired low towards the opposite corner for 3-0.
A chance to claw back that deficit came five minutes later when Fleet trialist No.9 was upended as he tried to make headway into the six-yard box but from the resulting penalty, the home goalkeeper parried the same player’s effort.
The Fleet made amends only four minutes later after Anthony’s initial effort bounced off the post but the ball was whipped back in and another trialist was able to finish off the move with a low finish.
Just past the hour mark, however, Punjab’s Campbell sealed his hat-trick which should have wrapped the game up for the hosts but the Fleet finished on top.
It was 4-2 with 10 minutes left when a ball through the middle saw a burst of pace from the Fleet’s No.9 who got clear of a Punjab defender and as the goal opened up for him, he shot across the keeper and found the target with a composed shot.
With Fleet having introduced a number of Academy players including Fabian Odamo and Harry Britten, it was the latter who marked his introduction with a strike to reduce the arrears to just one goal. That came seven minutes from the end when Fleet’s No.8 got the better of the goalkeeper who could only divert the ball to his left and Britten ran on to drill home his shot.
That’s how it finished as Fleet move on to Aveley on Saturday where the first-team squad will get their first chance to perform in front of the fans this summer.
Attendance: 620
