Ebbsfleet United 3 Eastleigh 0 match report: Goals by Bryant Bilongo, Rakish Bingham and Luke O’Neill secure National League win

Three goals in 14 second-half minutes led new Ebbsfleet manager Danny Searle to his first win in charge on Saturday.

After two draws during an interim role against Oldham and Chesterfield, this was arguably the biggest game of the three - and Searle ensured his team delivered by claiming three National League points.

Ebbsfleet handed Bryant Bilongo, on loan from Middlesbrough, a debut and he made quite the impact down the left wing.

Franklin Domi was also named in the starting XI as the hosts made two changes from the team that started at Chesterfield, Ouss Cisse and Omari Sterling-James dropping out.

Ebbsfleet had an early sight of goal when Bilongo fed Rakish Bingham on the edge of the box but his low left-foot shot took a deflection before being gathered by keeper Joe McDonnell.

It was Eastleigh that edged the opening periods, though, although they didn’t have a clear sight of goal until Ebbsfleet gifted them a glorious chance on 16 minutes. Defender Declan Skura was caught taking too long to play the ball out by Scott Quigley and it fell perfectly for Paul McCallum, who somehow dragged his shot wide of the upright with just keeper Mark Cousins to beat.

Ebbsfleet were getting joy down the left with Bilongo impressing in front of the home fans for the first time and linking up well with Myles Kenlock, whose went along the six-yard box with no one on hand to touch the ball home. Quigley then bundled his way through at the other end but prodded wide.

Ebbsfleet were starting to assert themselves on the game and McDonnell had to be alert to turn aside Luke O’Neill’s 20-yard drive.

Cousins saved well from a Luke Croll header before Dominic Poleon appeared to be caught in the box as he cut inside the last man but he