Ebbsfleet lost ground in the National League South promotion race after being shocked by Slough at Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

Tyler Goodrham scored both goals for the visitors while the Fleet were never really at the races.

Fleet, who made one change from the side that stuffed St Albans in midweek, were second best in the first half against a Slough team who never let them settle.

It needed an excellent recovery tackle from Tobi Adebayo-Rowing to deny the lively Tyler Goodrham as early as the seventh .

In new recruit Edon Pruti, Slough had the best player in the first half. A threat in attack from set pieces and a rock at the back, the former Burnley youngster looked a class above.

Twice he had headers saved by Fleet keeper Louie Moulden who was grateful to defender Chris Solly for hacking clear a Ben Harris effort from a deep corner.

Slough’s threat materialised in a deserved lead on 28 minutes when Goodrham - on loan from League 1 Oxford - produced a quality finish from 25 yards, curling his right-foot shot beyond the reach of Moulden.

Fleet, who twice threatened through Will Wood at the far post, were denied an equaliser in first-half stoppage time when Dominic Poleon burst through two players and squared for Wood, who appeared to have a simple tap-in. But that man Pruti was in the right place again, amazingly blocking his goalbound shot to preserve the visitors’ advantage at the break.

Fleet introduced new loan signing Ashley Nathaniel-George at the break and they levelled within seven minutes.

Slough could only clear as far as Ben Chapman who sent a stunning right-foot shot into the far corner from 25 yards.

But their joy was short-lived as an error by Chris Solly gifted Slough the lead again on 57 minutes. Hesitation between keeper Moulden and Solly as the ball was played forward saw the former Charlton stalwart take charge and attempt to clear. But he made a horrible mess of it and the ball went straight to Goodrham who needed no second invitation to convert his second goal of the game into an empty net from 20 yards.

Slough’s game management was excellent as they regularly went down with injuries to break any flow the Fleet were trying to establish.

It got to the home fans, with referee Alex Blake not showing much desire to get the game to any sort of tempo.

Fleet, for their part, struggled to create much going forward until 12 minutes from time when substitute Elliott Romain saw his shot on the turn deflected wide.

Slough’s constant time-wasting saw seven minutes of stoppage time but the Fleet were unable to fashion any clear-cut chances until Romain’s far-post header was kept out at the death.

Ebbsfleet: Moulden, Adebayo-Rowling, Solly, Chapman, Wood (Nathaniel-George 46mins), N'Guessan, Egan (Monlouis 75mins), Tanner, Mekki, Poleon, Coulthirst (Romain 69mins). Subs not used: Haigh, Paxman.

Slough: North, Jackman, Pruti, Togwell, Harris (Worsfold 90mins), Goodrham, Hunt, Davies, Kuhl, Fraser, Kayani (Nisbet 90+5mins). Subs not used: Goueth, Williams.

Referee: Alex Blake.

Attendance: 1,106.