Ebbsfleet United manager Dennis Kutrieb reacts to 4-2 win over Dulwich Hamlet in National League South

Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb felt his team made hard work of defeating Dulwich on Saturday.

Victory moved the Fleet 18 points clear of second-placed Dartford at the top of National League South.

While Kutrieb was not impressed with some aspects of his team's display, he also felt Dulwich defender Quade Taylor should have collected a second yellow card in the first half but he was given a major reprieve by referee Matthew Norton.

“At the moment we take every three points,” stated Kutrieb. “I think it was much harder than it should have been.

“We could have finished the game off earlier and haven’t done it again, hit the post twice and some decisions were not really good. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter as we’ve got three points.

“Dulwich are always a tough opponent and they could have come back with a penalty so we’re happy we’ve got the points.

“I have to say the referee didn’t have his best game. I don’t know how in the first half (Quade Taylor) could stay on the pitch for a clear yellow card so they could have had 10 men after 35 minutes. But it is how it is and where I start to struggle is with how much joy he gave the penalty.”

Striker Dominic Poleon scored four times to grab the headlines but Fleet keeper Mark Cousins made a number of impressive saves against a Dulwich side whose best form of defence was to attack.

The contribution of Cousins was not lost on the Fleet boss.

“Them two were really outstanding,” said Kutrieb. “Cousins made some outstanding saves, including the penalty. I think it was a good pen but he decided for the right corner and he went really strong.

“It’s sometimes a disadvantage if you play a long time with someone and Frankie Raymond and Cousins played a long time at Bromley. It’s