Ebbsfleet United clung on to beat rock-bottom Staines Town on Tuesday night.

The visitors arrived at Stonebridge Road having lost nine of their last 10 matches in Vanarama Conference South but they definitely deserved something from this game.

Two goals from Adam Cunnington and one from Theo Lewis earned Fleet their first home league win since Jamie Day succeeded Steve Brown as manager but Day's side will need to find some far better form from somewhere if they are to have any chance of reaching the play-offs.

The most notable team news before kick-off was that Kenny Clark was only on the bench for Ebbsfleet. Sent off at North Ferriby on Saturday, the centre-half was strongly criticised by Day after that game for needlessly giving away the late penalty which saw Fleet knocked out of the FA Trophy.

New signing Tom Bonner made his home debut in the back-three, having been cup-tied for the recent Trophy games, while Dean Pooley also started. Concussion meant that fellow defender Anthony Acheampong missed out. At left wing-back, Sean Shields replaced Welling loanee Ben Jefford.

Such have been the changes at Stonebridge Road in recent times that midfielder Matt Johnson was the only surviving member of the Fleet starting XI from the reverse fixture at Staines in November.

Staines came into the game on the back of a 6-0 home defeat to Bromley but Nicky Forster made only one change to his line-up. Forster, the former Dover manager who had ex-Fleet boss Steve Brown on his staff at Crabble, selected in Erivaldo Felix in place of Luke Neville.

Fleet made a dream start, scoring inside three minutes. Shields crossed from the left and when Staines failed to clear their lines, Cunnington found the net with an emphatic finish.

But the struggling visitors responded brightly. Ashley Lodge got beyond Matt Fish too easily and crossed for Elliott Buchanan right in front of goal. Luckily for Ebbsfleet, Buchanan lacked Cunnington's killer instinct and he dragged his shot, via a deflection, wide of the right-hand post.

That was a let-off but the home side failed to heed the warning.

More hesitancy from Fish allowed Tommy Brewer to measure a left-footed cross which was guided inside the near post by the head of Jake Kempton.

At the other end, Turner punched a Fish cross out of the danger zone. When the Swans keeper got down to save a Theo Lewis strike, the rebound sat up invitingly for Fish, who found himself in another advanced position, although he couldn't hit the target.

For every good moment going forward, there was a nervous one for Ebbsfleet at the back. Stephane Ngamvoulou lashed a low shot across the face of goal as the men in red shirts stood about and watched.

Stuart Lewis had a shot saved by Turner and Johnson dragged a long-range effort well wide. That optimistic attempt rather summed up the home side's lack of ideas.

But a second goal did arrive on 28 minutes. Johnson's volleyed pass sent Theo Lewis running in behind the Staines defence and he got to the ball ahead of Turner before rolling it into the empty net with his left foot.

Lewis was in the mood now and he saw one curling effort palmed out by Turner before driving another shot just wide from the edge of the box.

Uncertainty remained at the other end, though. Pooley and Kelvin Langmead got in each other's way and the Fleet were relieved to see the offside flag go up when Buchanan put the ball in the net for what seemed to be a second leveller.

But this Staines defence is porous and it conceded again eight minutes before the interval.

Unsurprisingly, the excellent Shields laid on the assist, his deep cross from the left volleyed back across goal and into the far corner by Cunnington.

Chances kept coming and Stuart Lewis warmed Turner's palms on the stroke of half-time.

A more serene start to the second period saw Staines create the next chances of any note. Chris M'Boungou headed Max Worsfold's free-kick straight at Edwards before Buchanan dragged a shot wide.

The visitors were positive in their passing and they certainly didn't look like a side rooted to the foot of the table.

And their approach was rewarded in bizarre fashion when Edwards, who was trying to clear the ball downfield, completely missed his kick and saw the ball roll into the net.

Ebbsfleet's defence, which had been shorn of Pooley at half-time, looked a total mess at times and their lack of communication encouraged the Swans to keep pouring forward.

Finally the home side offered an attacking threat, Kedwell gathering a Shields cross and shooting across goal. Turner got down to make the save and Staines cleared their lines.

It was a nervy finale and Worsfold fired a free-kick onto the roof of the net from 30 yards before referee Anthony Serrano blew for time - to the huge relief of the Fleet fans.

Ebbsfleet: Edwards, Pooley (Jefford 46mins), Langmead, Bonner, Fish, S Lewis, Johnson, T Lewis, Shields (Marsh 76mins), Kedwell, Cunnington (Gower 79mins). Subs not used: Clark, Hall.

Staines: Turner, Felix, Brewer, Ngamvoulou (Pashaj 46mins), M'Boungou, Roberts, Lodge, Ekim (Aribo 46mins), Buchanan (Bassett 79mins), Kempton, Worsfold. Subs not used: Churchill, McAllister.

Attendance: 717.