Ben Chapman has revealed the debt of gratitude owed to his dad after another stunning goal edged Ebbsfleet closer to survival.

The 25-year-old scored a brilliant goal at Chesterfield in February with his right foot, and went even better by scoring twice to sink AFC Fylde at Stonebridge Road last Saturday.

His first was an outstanding left-foot shot from just inside the penalty area.

So having scored with both feet this season, what’s the secret and is Chapman right or left-footed?

“I’m a bit of both!” he smiled. “It’s something that my dad’s always told me to do, in the garden or down the park, to use both feet and he said in the long term it will benefit you.

“It did on Saturday as I managed to cut inside on my left foot and wrap it into the top corner. To be able to do that with your left and right foot is a good thing to have in your locker.

“Naturally I am right-footed but I can use my left pretty confidently to cross the ball, pass the ball, control the ball, shoot, so it’s all there.”

Father Dan has been a big influence on Chapman’s career and he’s a regular on the sidelines along with the rest of the family.

“All my family have been a big influence, my mum and my dad,” added Ben. “But my dad is the one that has helped me put in the work when I was little.

“He’d be doing little drills like passing, crossing or bringing the ball down, one-v-ones, just sharpening those tools as such so I owe him a lot of credit for doing that.

“My family are there all the time, they’re my biggest supporters and are always there driving me on. They’re the reason that I’m doing as well as I am now.

“Every home game they’re here but the away games are too far to travel as I have a young son so they watch those on the television when they can together.”

Chapman’s son is too young to appreciate everything that’s going on in front of him just yet.

“He takes it in, but he just shouts out goal whatever happens - that’s all he knows!,” said Chapman. “So hopefully when he grows up, he’ll be a goalscorer.”

Scoring both goals against Fylde was another career highlight for Chapman, who has been in sensational form under Danny Searle.

He dropped back into defence at Dagenham but was restored to his regular wide midfield role last weekend.

“Just to add goals to my game is the one thing that I feel has been missing,” he added. “I’ve got the assists, I’ve got the work-rate defensively and those other aspects.

“It’s just about popping up when I need to now and taking the chances that I get.

“I just cut back in on my left and saw the keeper was slightly to the right so I thought I’d try and bend it in, and luckily it flew into the back of the net.

“Then the second goal, I just thought I’m going to head it and if the keeper takes me out, then he takes me out. But I thought I had to get the goal and it was worth the pain, heading it and getting whacked was better than missing it and not scoring.

“It felt amazing to score that second goal, although it hurt. It’s my first-ever brace so I’m happy with it.

“I’ve had a few run of games now and confidence is running high. I feel my fitness and ability is all coming into play.

“When you play week in, week out, you start to get used to patterns, the same players you’re passing to, what kind of movement you are expecting from people. When you play regularly then you know what to do.”

Chapman admitted the thought of a perfect hat-trick did cross his mind but instead his only other contribution to the game was to collect a yellow card.

“That did come to my mind,” he confessed. “My first-ever hat-trick, and I thought what a day for it, but at the end of the day I’m just happy to get a good performance and another three points.”