Ebbsfleet United 2 Chesham United 1 match report: Finlay Barnes and Aaron Cosgrave score in National League South win

Ebbsfleet moved onto the verge of the National League South play-off places on Saturday.

The Fleet maintained their unbeaten home record with a 2-1 defeat of a battling Chesham side at a rain-soaked Stonebridge Road.

Ebbsfleet made four changes from the side that lost at Weston-super-Mare in midweek, most notably in goal.

Matt Hall, signed from AFC Totton last week, replaced on-loan Watford keeper Jonathan Macaulay between the sticks. Ben Chapman returned from suspension with Lennon Peake and Aaron Cosgrave also in the starting XI.

Chapman was a prominent figure in a bright start from the hosts, denied a second-minute opener only by keeper Ben Goode’s fine one-handed save after Chesham conceded possession cheaply.

Peake and Chapman both shot wide before the Fleet took a deserved 13th-minute lead. Kwesi Appiah’s clever chip into Peake saw him set up Finlay Barnes. The former King’s Lynn man had enough time and space to produce a deft left-foot curler from 25 yards.

Barnes nearly turned provided three minutes later, but Cosgrave was unable to convert his left-wing cross and Chesham’s Callum Adebiyi narrowly avoided turning the ball into his own net.

Largely on the backfoot for the opening 20 minutes, Chesham started to grow into the game. Josh Addae’s right-wing cross had to be cleared before Jayden Bennetts’ shot whistled just wide of the upright.

Defender Connor Stevens found Alex Babos in space but his clever lob landed on the roof of the net.

At the other end the lively Chapman continued to shoot on sight, his right-foot effort from the edge of the box was saved before, played in by Barnes’ perfectly-weighted pass, Chapman was denied by the legs of Goode.

Barnes again set up Cosgrave just before half-time but Goode was