Dartford 4 Ebbsfleet United 0 match report: Alex Wall, Malachi Napa, Charlie Sheringham and Connor Essam score for National League South leaders

Dartford moved five points clear at the top of National League South on New Year’s Day after again scoring four goals past Ebbsfleet.

The Darts never looked in danger as they completed a first league double over the Fleet since 1980 before a bumper Princes Park crowd of 3,386.

It’s now four straight defeats for Ebbsfleet, who also dropped to third after Havant’s win at Eastbourne albeit they have games in hand on the two sides above them.

Ebbsfleet made four changes from the side beaten so convincingly on Boxing Day. It was the same formation but Chris Solly moved into midfield and there were more towering centre-backs in a bid to combat the physical presence of Alex Wall.

Alex Finney came in for only his second league start of the campaign - the previous one was at Eastbourne in August - while Luke O’Neill was deployed as a wing-back for the first time in Fleet colours. It was the first league game this term that neither Omari Sterling-James or Darren McQueen started, although both were named among the substitutes.

It was the most defensive line-up named by Fleet manager Dennis Kutrieb, keen to avoid a second drubbing to the team that replaced them at the top of the table six days earlier, during his Stonebridge Road tenure. That reflected in their play, gone was the passing out from the back with the Fleet deciding the best way forward was to try and match Dartford’s physicality.

Dartford were forced into two changes. Kristian Campbell replaced the injured Sam Odaudu at left-back and Luke Allen failed a late fitness test so Jack Smith started ahead of him.

Ebbsfleet’s side was set up to be more physical after they were bullied by their neighbours on Boxing Day, the returning Sido Jombati’s torn shirt as early as the