Ebbsfleet’s winless start to the National League season continued on Saturday at a windswept Stonebridge Road.

Visitors FC Halifax held on to their third-minute lead despite late pressure from the Fleet who remained rooted to the foot of the National League.

With Ebbsfleet chief executive Damian Irvine confirming that striker Dominic Samuel suffered a broken leg at Braintree on Monday, the hosts were forced into one change.

Dominic Poleon started in his absence and 20-year-old Charles Ondo was named on the bench after joining following his summer release from Huddersfield.

Spanish-born Ondo was described as a “wide left player” by the Fleet and worked with manager Danny Searle previously, at League of Ireland club Waterford.

Halifax took just three minutes to find the breakthrough as the Fleet fell behind for the fifth time in six league games.

There was an element of fortune as Adan George’s cross was deflected into the path of Jamie Cooke but the ball then fell perfectly for the onrushing Angelo Cappello to drill into the bottom corner.

Poleon forced a smart stop from keeper Sam Johnson three minutes later before Cooke hooked over George’s cross seconds later at the other end.

Halifax’s best moments came through the tricky feet and direct running of Andrew Oluwabori. He skipped past four Fleet defenders on 20 minutes before his shot was blocked, then the ball fell to him in the box but Cousins saved smartly moments later. Oluwabori played in Cooke, whose right-foot shot was saved by Cousins.

Ebbsfleet failed to make the most of a three-on-two break as Wes Fonguck overhit his pass.

Then Greg Cundle and Poleon combined to close down keeper Johnson but his blocked clearance fell fortunately for the visitors to clear the danger.

Both sides collected more bookings than shots at goal in the early stages of the second half. Tyler Cordner and Jim Kellermann were booked for the Fleet with Adam Senior shown a yellow card for the visitors.

It took less than an hour for Searle to turn to Ondo, with Toby Edser and then Franklin Domi also given a chance to help turn the scoreline around.

With 13 minutes left, Tom Dallison headed wide from a deep Craig Tanner corner but the Fleet were never really able to put any serious pressure on the visiting goal until late on.

Substitute Franklin Domi nearly rounded off their only flowing move of the game on 84 minutes but his goalbound left-foot shot was headed behind for a corner.

FC Halifax were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time when Cooke collected a second yellow card for a late challenge on Ben Chapman.

A Tanner cross nearly caught out Johnson but the Fleet didn’t quite do enough to find an equaliser.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, Page (Chapman 71mins), Wright, Cordner, Kellermann (Domi 63mins), Fonguck (Edser 57mins), Poleon, Cundle (Ondo 57mins), Tanga, Phillips (Tanner 75mins), Dallison. Subs not used: Berry, O’Neill.

FC Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Evans, Cooke, Cappello (Galvin 81mins), Smith, Hoti, George (Wright 68mins), Oluwabori (Emmerson 72mins), Bray (Pugh 85mins), Adetoro. Subs not used: Ford, Arthur, Jenkins.

Referee: Stuart Morland.

Attendance: 1,379.