Ebbsfleet played an hour with 10 men in National League South on Saturday - but it hardly showed in a battling display.

The Fleet dug deep after Jake Goodman was rightly dismissed on the half-hour by referee Andrew Humphries.

The hosts were immediately pegged back but they were the better side in the second half - and could have easily won the game late on.

Josh Payne's 12th-minute free-kick was turned behind for a corner by Dulwich keeper James Pardington before Rakish Bingham's long-range effort was deflected behind as Fleet started to create the early openings.

Dulwich right-back Sanchez Ming was booked for a foul on Fleet's Will Wood midway through the half - with Fleet boss Dennis Kutrieb claiming it should have been red.

The game came to life in six dramatic minutes.

Fleet went ahead on 27 minutes. Wood drove forward and fed Adam Mekki, who cut inside and shot from distance. Pardington was unable to gather and Bingham was on hand to turn the ball home for his third goal in two games.

But Fleet's joy was short-lived as three minutes later they were reduced to 10 men. Intent on passing the ball out at the back, centre-back Jake Goodman took a heavy touch and then went sliding into to recover but his rash challenge was only ever going to end one way - and the referee rightly brandished the red card.

Dulwich were back on level terms almost immediately. Former Fleet forward Danny Mills crossed low at the near post and Lewis White flicked the ball home.

Fleet seemed in a rush as the half drew to a close, still trying to play at a quick tempo but at the risk of leaving themselves exposed at the back.

Half-time came at a good time for the home side, who then looked the better team in the second half.

They only had one real scare, keeper Tom Hadler deflecting Deon Moore's effort over the bar as the visitors broke three-on-one.

Ebbsfleet had the better openings in the final 10 minutes, with the outstanding Jack Paxman a driving force in midfield.

His long-range shot was gathered by Pardington before the former Fleet midfielder danced his way past three players and then beat another with a quick one-two before sending Bingham clear. However, the Fleet striker tried to find a team-mate instead of shooting on goal.

Bingham then headed wide Sefa Kahraman's corner in the 89th minute and there was still time for another golden chance as skipper Lee Martin opted for power rather than placement - but his shot ended up on the roof of the stand rather than in the roof of the net.

Ebbsfleet: Hadler, Adebayo-Rowling, Wood, Kahraman, Goodman, Mekki (Dobson 80mins), Payne (West 84mins), Chapman (Allen 87mins), Paxman, Martin, Bingham. Subs not used: Holmes, Egan.

Dulwich: Pardington, Ming, Barnes, Timlin, Debrah, Embalo, White (Allassani 77mins), Sammut (Higgs 77mins), Mills, Hyde, Moore (Henry 68mins). Subs not used: Taylor, David.