EBBSFLEET United produced a marvellous comeback display at home to Lewes on Easter Monday and fully deserved their well-earned victory.

After going a goal down in a very close-fought game, Liam Daish’s men dug their heels in and ground out a much needed win.

The first half at Stonebridge Road started quietly and remained uneventful for long spells.

Fleet looked livelier from the start, but no clear-cut chances were created and both goalkeepers remained relatively untested.

Lewes slowly started to come into the game and played the ball well along the ground, looking comfortable and assured in the centre with Michael Standing and playmaker Luke Rooney.

Daish used Michael Gash and Ricky Shakes in an effective partnership, with Gash ever-dominant in the air and Shakes tirelessly working the wings.

The best of Fleet’s attacking play came through them, but clear chances were thin on the ground.

It took until the half-hour mark before the first real chance presented itself. It came from a Lewes corner and saw centre-back Chris Breach flash a header wide from close-range.

This proved to be a sign of the danger which was still to come.

Four minutes before the break, another dangerous Lewes corner found tall centre back Josh Jirbandey unmarked at the front post and he deftly volleyed first-time into the roof of the net to break the deadlock.

A riled Ebbsfleet burst on to the offensive and managed to earn a free-kick 20 yards out after a foul was committed on Gash in the centre.

Rashid Yussuff, who had been quiet throughout, took the kick and struck the wall.

He reacted quickest to the rebound and sent his low, powerful drive past keeper Rikki Banks from the edge of the box to quickly restore parity.

The pattern of the second-half followed the first as still neither side could stamp their authority on the game.

Daish took things in his own hands and changed the shape of the Fleet attack by bringing Guiseppe Sole on for Michael West.

It proved to be a significant substitution.

With 20 minutes to go, the bullish Gash controlled the ball in centre and turned past his marker.

He played a pass to Sole in the box, who was then ruthlessly hacked down and the referee had no choice but to give a penalty and Sole stepped up to take it.

Calmly, he tucked his effort into the bottom left-corner to give Fleet the lead.

The home side had wrestled the victory away from a strong Lewes side and closed the game out with some sturdy defensive play.

In a very even game, it required a well-taken penalty to prove the difference.

Ebbsfleet United: Cronin, Stevens, Crooks, Charles, Opinel (Pooley 36), Yussuff, West (Sole 59), Ricketts, Long, Gash (Ibe 88), Shakes. Subs not used: Mott, Purcell. Att: 1,098.