A DRAMATIC stoppage time winner from Hayes & Yeading substitute Toby Little consigned Ebbsfleet to yet another defeat at Stonebridge Road this afternoon.

Both teams went into the game having failed to win a match this season and already in the drop zone, so the final outcome will come as a major blow to Fleet’s hopes of survival – even though it is still only August.

Fleet kicked-off without the services of Michael West, James Lindie and Stefan Bailey after the trio failed to pass late fitness tests.

However, winger Ricky Shakes gave Liam Daish a boost by recovering from an ankle problem to earn a place in the starting line-up.

The hosts had an early shout for a penalty ignored when Ishmael Welsh went on a run into the area and was stopped in his tracks by Danny Allen-Page just as he was about to pull the trigger.

But disaster struck in the third minute when keeper Lance Cronin was forced to come out and close down Scott Fitzgerald, who cleverly picked out George Daly at the back post and he fired into an empty net with.

Thankfully, though, the early setback proved to be very as short as Ebbsfleet drew level within three minutes.

Ricky Shakes delivered an excellent cross from the left which Mango Vieira gratefully converted from six-yards to bring a welcome end to Fleet’s goal famine.

And they could have gone in front three minutes later when Will Salmon’s delivery met the head of Vieria, but Simon Overland pulled off a fine save and Vieira was thwarted again from the rebound.

Overland was called into action again to deny Vieira in a goalmouth scramble as the Fleet began to start dominating proceedings.

Fitzgerald squandered a glorious opportunity to restore Hayes’ advantage when he inexplicably headed wide with the goal at his mercy, while Simon Thomas headed over from Welsh’s cross at the other end.

Welsh’s low shot from the edge of the area tested Overland in the 17th minute but the next chance didn’t arrive for another 10 minutes when Adam Green’s long-range free-kick sailed well wide of Cronin’s post.

Charles’ header from Jordan Collins’ corner also failed to find the target but Welsh’s low drive after being played in by Gavin Heeroo forced visiting keeper Overland into a save.

Thomas had the first chance of the second half, heading over the bar from Welsh’s 47th minute cross and Shakes also blazed over six minutes later following a sustained period of Fleet pressure.

Green produced a clever volley from 25-yards out but Cronin was untroubled and it went behind for a goal-kick, although the keeper was called into action to save Daly’s 61st minute header after Binns had played a dangerous ball into the danger zone.

Collins’ free-kick was headed over by Charles moments later and only a last-gasp clreance from Tom Cadmore prevented Collins picking out a team-mate in the six-yard box.

But the Fleet had a lucky escape when Fitzgerald’s header produced a one-handed stop from Cronin onto the bar, an incident which ended with the Hayes striker requiring treatment on the pitch.

Cadmore can consider himself unfortunate not to see his deft header from Green’s free-kick fail to hit the target.

Heroo released Shales on the right 10 minutes from time and his low ball into the mixer was just fired wide by substitute Scott Ginty.

But Cronin saved Ebbsfleet’s blushes on 88 minutes with another stunning save, denying Fitzgerald yet again.

However, there was nothing he could do to keep out substitute Little in injury time when the Hayes substitute fired past him to cruelly deny Daish’s side a point.

Ebbsfleet United: Cronin, Salmon, Collins, Heeroo, Pooley, Vieira (Ginty 76), Welsh, Shakes (Forshaw 82), Crooks, Charles, Thomas. Subs not used: Shulton, Henry, Lamprell. Att: 884.