Ebbsfleet United got back to winning ways with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Staines Town on Saturday.

Having not won in four games, the pressure was on the Fleet to take maximum points from the Conference South’s bottom club - and they did just that thanks to goals from Anthony Cook and Daryl McMahon.

After last weekend’s disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Hayes & Yeading, Steve Brown made two changes to his starting XI, with Joe Howe and Matt Godden replacing Chris Sessegnon and Billy Bricknell.

Staines boss Marcus Gayle fielded a 3-5-2 formation which featured former Fleet striker Calum Willock up front.

It was Willock who came closest to opening the scoring in the game’s early exchanges as he raced onto a through ball after five minutes and crashed a shot against the underside of the bar.

Staines were determined to make a good start to the game and they also saw an Ashley Lodge long range drive fly over.

But the Fleet soon grew into the game and they almost scored when Cook’s curling free-kick could only be palmed away by keeper Jack Turner and Matt Johnson’s effort from the rebound was scrambled off the line.

The opening goal did arrive in the 25th minute.

A long free-kick from Brandon Hall was flicked on by Charlie Sheringham into the path of Cook, who showed good pace to beat the defence to the ball and poke it past Turner.

This was the last action of note in the first half as Fleet had half-hearted penalty appeals turned down, while Staines plugged away with no reward for their efforts.

The second half burst into life on 55 minutes when Godden chased a long ball down and he was floored by Taylor as they both challenged each other in an aerial battle, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a penalty and book the Staines keeper.

McMahon stepped up to take the spot-kick and dispatched it comfortably, all but securing the three points for his side.

Ebbsfleet could have made it three shortly after when a great piece of build-up play ended with Godden crossing for Johnson, whose 12-yard shot was parried by Taylor before Cook’s acrobatic follow up effort was then cleared off the line.

McMahon then had a dipping free-kick fall just wide of the post, while at the opposite end of the pitch Lodge’s mazy run ended with the impressive winger’s shot being well-saved by Hall.

Substitute Bricknell then had a late chance to extend the lead when he chased down Luke Neville’s poor back pass and crashed a shot against the bar, although by that point the result had been known for a long time.

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Ebbsfleet: Hall, Howe, Acheampong, Clark, Palmer, Johnson (Corcoran 82), Rance (Sessegnon 90),  McMahon, Cook, Sheringham, Godden (Bricknell 69) Subs not used: Edwards, Huke. Att: 369.