Manager Danny Searle hoping players can put adversity in perspective should his resurgent Ebbsfleet United side suffer dip in form

Ebbsfleet manager Danny Searle believes their biggest test is yet to come.

The Fleet have enjoyed a brilliant first month under Searle’s leadership, winning three games in a row to extend their unbeaten run to five matches.

It’s dragged them out of the National League bottom four but it’s a congested table and any dip in form now could see Ebbsfleet plunge straight back into the danger zone.

Searle reckons it’s how they react to their first setback that will prove the biggest hurdle they need to overcome.

“I think the test for us is when it doesn’t go our way,” said the Fleet boss.

“What we’re trying to do is put in place an environment where you are allowed to lose a game because if your winning mentality was unless you win every week then you’re going to have problems.

“We are allowed to lose a game, we are allowed to draw a game and we are allowed to perform poorly.

“It’s a case of embrace that, own it and when it comes, we’ll be ready for it. We’ll slide it under the carpet, get it out of the building and move on.”

Searle is keeping tabs on the league table and the picture will become clearer in the next month as there’s still plenty of games between relegation rivals to be played.

But the overriding message is for his Ebbsfleet players to focus only on their results, knowing a continued upward curve will mean they won’t need to be looking nervously over their shoulders.

“I will look, of course, as you want to see who’s doing what,” said Searle.

“We’ve had a positive start and we’ll hopefully kick on from there. It’s been a fantastic February, we’re unbeaten in February and we’ve got three clean sheets and three wins.

“We’ve put some points on the board that have made it a little bit easier going into March but