LIAM Daish urged his troops to take their chances against Farnborough after Ebbsfleet crashed to a 2-1 opening day defeat to Maidenhead United on Saturday.

If Fleet thought reclaiming their Blue Square Premier status after last season’s relegation would be easy, they are now well aware of the rigours required in this new division after succumbing to the Magpies.

Maidenhead United’s victory was all the more remarkable because for the latter stages they had to do without Sam Collins and Jamal Fyfield, who were sent off by referee Elliot Kaye.

Ebbsfleet conceded a penalty when Paul Lorraine was adjudged to have brought down Fyfield in the box with 60 minutes gone.

Kieran Knight converted at the second attempt but Ebbsfleet were back on level terms within four minutes through Callum Willock, who forced Scott Ginty's cross over the line.

But the Fleet were caught cold on the break when substitute Martel Powell capped a fine counter attack with a curling shot past Preston Edwards to hand the Berkshire outfit the points.

The good news for Daish’s troops is they won’t have to dwell on this opening day defeat for long as they travel to Farnborough on Wednesday before heading to Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday, giving Fleet ample opportunity to avenge this loss.

Daish said: “I said at half-time if you don’t take chances and if you don’t take the bull by the horns, you can leave yourself open.

“The next thing, the referee sees something from a corner and gives a penalty.

“That is the nature if you don’t take your chances, take the initiative or leave destiny in your own hands.

“You can sometimes leave yourself open.”

The manager called on his strikers to be more clinical after several chances against Maidenhead went begging.

Daish added: “Up front, Callum Willock had a great game.

“I’m expecting more of an end product, whether it is from corners or free kicks.

“We had a number of one-on-ones we failed to convert and that cost us.”

And last season's relegation obviously still rankles with Daish, who was unusally candid in his pre-match programme notes.

He said: “I still have a bitter taste in my mouth on the circumstances that this club lost its Blue Sqaure Premier status and anyone who knows me will tell you that I can’t just move on if I feel let down or wronged.

“In saying that, I will use that negative to spur myself and the players I have at my disposal into a positive and hopefully be able to wash that taste out of my mouth come next May.”

The Fleet gaffer will no doubt want to start that process by eradicating the bitter aftertaste of the Maidenhead debacle by claiming three points against Farnborough but he knows that is no easy task.

Daish said: “I’m expecting with them being at home that it is going to be tough for us.

“We need to be better, especially in front of goal, because we’ll only have so many chances that may come our way if we’re lucky. We've got to take them.”