Bromley moved back to the top of Vanarama Conference South with a hard-fought win at Ebbsfleet on Tuesday night.

A tight game was settled by Reece Prestedge's second-half strike and the home side never looked like getting back in the game once they'd fallen behind.

Kenny Clark was restored to the Ebbsfleet starting XI for the first time since his red card at North Ferriby, with former Bromley defender Dean Pooley dropping to the bench to make way.

That was one of three changes made by Fleet manager Jamie Day, who also played wingers Brendan Kiernan - another ex-Bromley player - and Sean Shields from the start. Matt Johnson was named among the substitutes while Tyrone Marsh wasn't in the squad at all.

Ben May and Anthony Cook, whose contracts at Ebbsfleet were cancelled in January, both started for the visitors. In the only two changes from Bromley's 1-1 draw against Hayes & Yeading on Saturday, Danny Waldren and Louis Dennis came in for Ali Fuseini and Moses Ademola.

Fleet went close inside the first couple of minutes when Bromley failed to clear a corner and Danny Kedwell lashed a shot just past the angle of crossbar and post.

The opening exchanges were predictably frantic but when the game started to settle down, it was the visitors who looked more assured in possession.

Clark, playing at right-back in a 4-4-2 formation, was booked for lunging in on Dennis and from the resulting free-kick, May saw a shot deflect narrowly wide. Jack Holland then swept a shot into the Plough End, where around 50 travelling supporters were making a terrific noise.

At the other end, Ben Jefford whipped over a decent cross from the left flank but as Ebbsfleet's attacking players tried to get on the end of it, they were penalised for a foul on former Gills and Dartford goalkeeper Alan Julian.

Dennis connected well with a half-volley from the edge of the box but his effort was off-target.

Fleet's two wingers then linked up well, Shields picking out Kiernan with a fine crossfield pass, but Kiernan saw his shot easily gathered by Julian after cutting in from the right.

Both of the home side's centre-forwards were in the wars in the first half. Kedwell twice came to the touchline with a bloodied nose while Adam Cunnington required lengthy treatment after falling heavily in the Bromley box. Both carried on though.

Ebbsfleet had a period of dominance but the visitors ended the half strongly and might have gone into half-time leading.

Dennis shot straight at Edwards and Bradley Goldberg drove the ball across the face of goal after being afforded too much time to bring down a pass from the right flank.

Prestedge got in behind Clark just before the interval and cut the ball back for Cook, although the former Fleet favourite who could only help the ball wide of the near post.

The second half started sluggishly but Bromley grabbed the lead on 57 minutes.

Clark, who had gifted the visitors possession moments earlier, did it again, and this time he was punished. Prestedge seized upon Clark's suicidal pass infield and despatched a shot inside Edwards' right-hand post from 20 yards.

Thereafter the home side huffed and puffed but Bromley, marshalled brilliantly at the back by captain Rob Swaine, contained them easily.

Referee Michael George had already infuriated the home faithful with some baffling decisions when he made one that was embarrassingly bad. Theo Lewis won the ball cleanly with a superb sliding challenge but Mr George somehow saw a foul. His error was compounded by the fact he reached instantly for his pocket and booked Lewis.

Joe Anderson took the free-kick, which Edwards grabbed at the second attempt.

At the other end, Julian barely touched the ball as the home side's attacking threat completely evaporated.

Kiernan's header, which dropped tamely onto the roof of the net, rather summed things up as Bromley saw out four minutes of stoppage-time with no alarms whatsoever.

Ebbsfleet: Edwards, Clark, Langmead, Bonner, Jefford, Shields, S Lewis, T Lewis, Kiernan, Kedwell, Cunnington. Subs not used: Johnson, Turner, Gower, Pooley, Day.

Bromley: Julian, Udoji, Anderson, Waldren, Swaine, Holland, Cook, Prestedge, May (Fuseini 85mins), Goldberg, Dennis (Ademola 85mins). Subs not used: McNaughton, Rodgers, Slabber.

Attendance: 1,227.