Ebbsfleet United 3 Torquay United 0 match report: National League South win against Neil Warnock’s side with goals from Dominic Samuel, Kwesi Appiah and Marcus Wyllie

Ebbsfleet moved into the top four in National League South with a comprehensive win over Neil Warnock’s Torquay on Saturday.

The Fleet never looked in danger against another team chasing promotion, albeit a side that had 77-year-old Warnock in interim charge for only the second time.

Former Gills boss Ronnie Jepson also joined Warnock on the touchline but the pair couldn’t inspire their troops against an excellent Fleet side who showed their promotion credenials.

Much attention was on Warnock but Fleet’s focus was firmly on three points. They made five changes from the side that were held at home by Farnborough last weekend in a 2-2 draw.

Toby Edser, Mustapha Olagunju and Dominic Samuel all returned to the starting line-up, along with Ben Coker and Tom Dallison.

Ebbsfleet started brightly with Kwesi Appiah’s snapshot forcing an early save from keeper James Hamon.

Torquay barely offered an attacking threat. Jordan Young closed down Ben Coker’s clearance on 16 minutes and flashed a cross along the six-yard box but that was as good as it goes in the first half.

Appiah played alongside Samuel as the Fleet opted for a front pairing and the two combined on 23 minutes, only for Samuel to be booked for a dive in the box as he looked to win his side a penalty.

The lively Appiah had the ball in the net two minutes later but the referee had already blown for a push on Ed Palmer by the Fleet forward.

Ebbsfleet made the breakthrough on the half-hour when an excellent cross by Charlie Seaman wasn’t converted by Appiah at the near post but Samuel reacted quickest to turn the ball home at the far post.

Samuel nearly doubled the advantage seven minutes later when Seaman’s fierce left-foot drive was only parried by Hamon but he put the