Ebbsfleet might have ended their goal drought on Saturday but for Chris Bush it was all about keeping another clean sheet.

Four times in the last five matches, Fleet have kept the opposition out and they've now conceded just four goals in eight outings.

Bush, arguably Ebbsfleet's most improved player over the past year, has been a major part of that at left-back.

He said: "As a defender, and I speak for the other boys, it’s the most important thing.

"If you go into a game wanting a clean sheet, you always give yourself the platform to go on and win the game.

"For the last few games, since Barrow, we’ve really gone into games wanting to keep a clean sheet and sometimes we’ve just been unlucky with that chance that was going to give us the three points.

"Saturday was a combination of both; good work defending as well as going forward. We got the chances, scored the goals, kept a clean sheet and it was a perfect day at the office."

The season was three months old when Ebbsfleet kept their first clean sheet at home in the league, individual mistakes having plagued them early on.

Bush said: "We got punished. If you look back at some of those games, we probably made one mistake and (conceded) one goal.

"I think back to Sutton and Chesterfield at the start of the season, one mistake cost us the game and then you’re giving yourself a double mountain to climb.

"If you start with the foundations of getting a clean sheet and being solid, hard to beat, we’ve got loads of quality up top that will take us home.

"Whoever comes in, whether it’s Mags, Ken, Kingy, myself, Dave, Lawrie, Ash included, we all know the value of a clean sheet and how you can build from not conceding.

"That’s shown in the last couple of games and if we can keep that run going, hopefully by the end of the season we’re looking positively up rather than negatively down."

Bush joined Ebbsfleet from Chelmsford last August when captain Dave Winfield was sidelined by a serious knee injury.

He's since made 61 appearances in a range of positions.

"It’s been difficult," Bush said. "I came in as a centre-half, been moved to left-back and we’ve played three at the back but as a professional you’ve just got to do whatever the manager wants from you. You do your part to help the team.

"I’ve had a few games at left-back now and I’m really enjoying it. It gives me a different option to get forward as well as being a bit more fluid, working with whoever’s on my side whether it be Corey, Westy, Couls, just being able to link up with a partnership.

"I’ve really enjoyed it and it’s just about keeping going now.

"Wherever the gaffer would like me to play, it’s all about giving 100%, helping the team out and doing what’s right for the team on that day.

"Hopefully the results show and the performances carry on and, come the end of the season, there’s something there to play for."

Fleet fans know all about his defensive qualities and monstrous long throw but on Saturday he revealed another string to his bow.

Bush took responsibility for a 40th-minute free-kick, with Ebbsfleet leading FC Halifax 1-0, and left the keeper standing with a sublime effort which curled into the top corner.

"It's been a while," he said. "I was a little scared because I didn’t think it was going to go in. From my angle, I felt like it was just about over but it’s managed to dip in.

"I don’t want to boast myself up too much because I might not score another one this season but I’m happy with it.

"More importantly, I’m happy to get the points and a clean sheet as well. That’s our fourth in five games so it was nice to contribute at both ends of the pitch."

Bush has a terrific left foot and took plenty of set-pieces at his previous clubs but has found himself down the queue at Stonebridge Road until now.

Jack Powell was the designated free-kick taker before his move to Maidstone while Corey Whitely and Myles Weston, among others, can hit them too.

Bush said: "Being 6ft 4in, I’m always in the box, on the end of the crosses. But with the amount of height we’ve got now with Kingy coming in and Keds and Cheeky up top, we’ve got four big boys right there (including Dave Winfield) and you don’t need more so I was able to help the team out in other ways whether it be on set-pieces or just staying back.

"I had to bide my time but I’m happy with how it went and hopefully I can get a few more before the end of the season."

Ebbsfleet went on to beat Halifax 4-0 - their biggest win of the season.

Bush said: "Looking back over the season, one of those games had been coming.

"We’ve been knocking on the door, trying to get the goals and take the chances to win games and we’ve been there or thereabouts.

"Saturday really showed what we can do.

"However you may look at it, Cheeky’s one has gone in (off his elbow) and sometimes you need one of them to get the ball rolling.

"We’ve had some unlucky chances against Boreham Wood game and Cheltenham but once we hit the back of the net, that was the momentum we needed to kick on.

"We’ve always said that whenever we go 1-0 up, we need one more to really put the pressure on them to come out and open up the gaps for us to kick on and get three or four - and it happened.

"Fortunately enough the free-kick’s gone in and second half we’ve had the penalty and Keds has put that away. Right at the death, Cheeky’s managed to get a brace.

"It was about what we could do once we scored one, whether we were going to sit back and defend and soak up pressure or carry on attacking them and get another one to really take us into half-time in good form.

"Coming out second half and getting the penalty, going 3-0 up, that really cemented us in the game."