EBBSFLEET United produced a dominant performance against Grimsby Town on Tuesday evening at Stonebridge Road.

The match started at a very high tempo with Grimsby taking the lead within the first minute to leave the home crowd stunned.

Michael Coulson whipped in a cross which was met by Anthony Elding, who had the simple job of finishing from six yards.

However, Ebbsfleet fought back strongly and nearly scored an equaliser almost immediately when Ricky Shakes headed Joe Howe’s cross over from five yards, missing a golden opportunity.

The Fleet grew in confidence and started to find their feet, getting back on level terms with 14 minutes on the clock.

Michael West’s 20-yard free-kick took a big deflection off the Grimsby the wall, leaving Mariners keeper James McKeown wrong-footed as he helplessly watched the ball roll into the net.

The pressure mounted on the away side before Ebbsfleet took the lead with a 38th minute header from Shakes after he got on the end of Howe’s tantalising cross.

On the stroke of half-time, the away supporters thought they had equalised but Coulson’s strike from the corner of the box found the side-netting.

The second half started in stark contrast to the first, with the game unable to get into any real flow.

It was very stop-start football, with Grimsby unable to find a way back into the game.

The closet the visitors came to finding the net again was an Elding header which rebounded off the bar three minutes after the restart.

Despite their best efforts, there was no way through Ebbsfleet’s back line and the away side looked vulnerable on the counter attack.

After a period of stalemate between the two teams, Calum Willock struck a deathly blow.

Craig Stone’s mishit cross came down from a great height leaving McKeown unable to deal with it and the keeper prodded his failed clearance into the path of Willock who emphatically fired home with 15 minutes remaining.

The home side had a comfortable finish to the game and this result sees them continue to rise up the league table.

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Ebbsfleet United: Edwards, Stone, Lorraine, West, Marwa, Willock, Shakes, Phipp, Howe, Mambo, Darvill (Simpemba 87). Subs not used: Ginty, Welch, Azeez. Att: 1,143.