Substitute Tomi Adeloye struck twice to earn Ebbsfleet a crucial 2-1 win against Woking as they boosted their National League survival hopes.

After a goalless first half, the hosts fell behind at Stonebridge Road when Jake Hyde converted a penalty.

But Adeloye got the Fleet level before scoring the vital third goal late in the game.

It was the visitors who created the first opening with six minutes played when Jayden Harris forced a smart save from Fleet goalkeeper David Gregory after a Shaun Donnellan long throw.

Four minutes later, Ebbsfleet striker Josh Umerah went down in the box although, in truth, the appeals for a penalty only really came from the home fans.

The Fleet won a free-kick in a good area with 20 minutes played but Woking goalkeeper Craig Ross got well behind Adam Mekki’s effort.

In the 36th minute, Ayo Obileye found himself in a lot of space in the visiting penalty area as he got on the end of a long free-kick, only for the ex-Eastleigh defender to direct his header straight at Ross when he should really have done better.

Two minutes before half-time, a Donnellan long throw from the left found its way through to Hyde, however, he was thwarted by Fleet’s Boreham Wood loanee keeper Gregory with the sides going in level pegging at half-time.

Five minutes after the restart, Alan Dowson’s team went close with striker Alex Wall drilling his low free-kick inches wide.

Three minutes later, Woking did break the deadlock, though.

Cardinals captain Josh Casey whipped in a cross from the left and referee Ryan Atkin adjudged Ebbsfleet defender Jamie Grimes to have fouled Wall and awarded a penalty, as Grimes went into the book for the foul, too. Hyde stepped up and made no mistake from the spot.

The hosts looked to respond and a goalmouth scramble followed a Mekki corner shortly after the hour mark but the away team eventually cleared their lines.

Midway through the second period, a Woking corner from substitute Max Kretzschmar was hooked wide by Moussa Diarra.

Woking were made to pay for that miss when Ebbsfleet found a leveller 20 minutes from time, with substitute Adeloye flicking a Mekki free-kick into the net.

Both sides pushed for the all-important third goal but it looked like the encounter would finish all square.

That was until the home team struck in the final minute of normal time when the Fleet countered and Adeloye fired past Ross for his second goal of the match, much to the delight and relief of the home contingent.

With the Woking keeper Ross upfield in the dying seconds, he crossed for Hyde who headed wide but Ebbsfleet held on for their first league win since November 30, moving four points clear of bottom side Chorley but still seven points away from safety.

Ebbsfleet: Gregory, Obileye, Wilson, Ogwu, Goddard (Adeloye 63mins), Umerah, Grimes, Sutherland, Ekpiteta, McGlashan, Mekki. Subs not used: Palmer, Achuba, Dainkeh, Egan.

Woking: Ross, Casey, Diarra, Parry, Ferdinand, Hyde, Poku, Donnellan, Harris (Kretzschmar 63mins), Neufville, Wall (Tarpey 77mins). Subs not used: Howes, Gerring, Collier.

Attendance: 674.