Ebbsfleet United 2 Salisbury 0 match report: Jake Hessenthaler and Maxx Manktelow score in National League South victory

Ebbsfleet got back to winning ways as they maintained their unbeaten home record on Saturday.

Jake Hessenthaler got the opener and Maxx Manktelow a late second against Salisbury in National League South early in the second half.

Ebbsfleet made three changes from the side that lost at Enfield in midweek with Lennon Peake, Finlay Barnes and Dominic Samuel coming in for Tom Dallison, Ben Coker and Josh Coley.

The Fleet had plenty of chances in the first half to get themselves ahead but were unable to find a clinical touch.

An early Ronny Nelson flick to an early Peake corner was flicked clear by Salisbury as Mustapha Olagunju looked to nod in at the far post.

The Fleet had the ball in the net after eight minutes but Samuel was ruled offside as he turned in skipper Kwesi Appiah’s shot from a left-wing cross.

Peake then delivered a deep cross from the left but Samuel’s volley at the far post was blocked behind for a corner.

Ebbsfleet were trying to find the balance between patience and tempo. At times they quickly progressed through the Salisbury midfield with quick passing and good movement.

On 17 minutes, Toby Edser beat two players, Barnes beat two players and set up Appiah but he clipped his shot over keeper Will Buse and just wide of the upright.

Then Barnes and Appiah combined to set up Samuel, whose left-foot effort was pushed away by Buse, who was called into action again 60 seconds later to tip over Peake’s left-foot 25-yard effort.

Samuel shot over under pressure after meeting Ben Chapman’s cross and the same striker - who had scored in his last two games after coming off the bench - headed over a Hessenthaler cross just before the break.

Salisbury were largely restricted to the odd counter-attack. Fleet keeper Gio