by Steve Tervet

Ebbsfleet resume their fight for Blue Square Bet Premier survival on home soil this weekend after their most unforgiving week of the season.

Trips to Grimsby, Kidderminster and Wrexham pitted Fleet against three sides going for promotion to the Football League. Not only that, Liam Daish and his players travelled 1,150 miles in eight days.

Tuesday’s 4-1 loss at Wrexham made it three successive away defeats but Ebbsfleet host Newport on Saturday looking to build on a home record which has seen them lose only twice in 12 outings at Stonebridge Road.

Daish, pictured, has been pleased with his side’s recent displays against the league’s big boys. He said: "We’ve competed fairly well. We’ve had as much possession as two teams chasing promotion.

"I know it’s a cliche but we’re taking it one game at a time. We’re fighting in there and it’s tight. We’ve got to keep our heads up and keep working hard and trust that it will turn around."

Newport, like the Fleet’s last three opponents, are right in the title chase. They were top of the table when Ismail Yakubu’s strike earned them three points at Rodney Parade in October, a game Ebbsfleet were unlucky to lose.

Injuries to right-back Craig Stone and winger Stefan Payne, sustained in last week’s 3-1 defeat at Grimsby, have added to the Fleet’s concerns.