Ebbsfleet United 2 AFC Fylde 1 match report: Ben Chapman scores twice in National League win

Ben Chapman scored twice as Ebbsfleet took another big step towards safety after registering their first-ever win over AFC Fylde in the National League on Saturday.

Chapman has been revitalised since Danny Searle took over as Ebbsfleet boss and he showed his qualities to put Fylde to the sword.

The Fleet made two changes from the side that drew at Dagenham on Monday with Dominic Samuel injured while Dominic Poleon and Tommy Fogarty came into the starting line-up.

Fylde settled quickest and while they didn't create a clear sight of goal early on, they pressed well and hurried the Fleet in their own half.

Slowly but surely the home side got into the contest, Billy Clifford having an early shot from 25 yards that went just wide of the upright.

Ebbsfleet opened the scoring in style on 17 minutes. Toby Edser's great turn inside his own half started the move as he picked out Poleon behind the high defensive line. Poleon didn't rush a pass, instead squaring the ball for Ben Chapman, who took advantage of Clifford's decoy run to cut inside and fire a brilliant shot inside the far post.

Chapman was giving left-back Max Conway a torrid time down the Fleet right and his cross looked destined to hand Rakish Bingham a simple tap-in before Fylde's Harry Davis turned the ball behind for a corner.

It was one-way traffic as Edser did well to dig out a cross from the left, Bingham nodded down for Chapman who nearly repeated his goal but fizzed a low left-foot shot inches the wrong side of the post.

Fylde threatened just before the break. Danny Ormerod's cross found Jon Ustabasi but Bryant Bilongo got back to brilliantly block his goalbound shot behind for a corner.

Then Tom Walker's 20-yard free-kick tested keeper Mark Cousins, but he