New Ebbsfleet boss Josh Wright saw the task ahead of him laid bare on Saturday after his side were ripped apart in the first half at high-flying Barnet.

Four goals in 23 minutes confirmed the difference between joint-top and rock bottom as the visitors were sliced apart seemingly with every attack.

But there was also hope for the new man in charge after a much-improved second-half display, which saw them end their long wait for a league goal.

As first games in charge go, it couldn’t have been much tougher for the man charged with turning the tide after Harry Watling’s departure on Wednesday.

Wright made four changes from the side that lost at AFC Fylde on Tuesday night - including dropping himself so he could focus on managerial matters.

Keeper Mark Cousins replaced Dylan Berry between the sticks while Todd Kane, Louis John and Tom Dallison came in for Wright, Aaron Cosgrave and Anthony Stewart.

Wright opted for three at the back, albeit Barnet’s dominance meant it was more a back five in a one-sided opening 45 minutes.

Zak Brunt forced an eighth-minute save from Cousins but he was beaten just two minutes later when Nicke Kabamba headed in Danny Collinge’s right-wing cross.

Two minutes later, Kabamba beat the offside trap but his deflected right-foot shot was saved by Cousins.

Barnet made it 2-0 on 18 minutes when a right-wing cross was cleared only as far as Mark Shelton, whose stunning first-time right-foot 20-yarder gave Cousins no chance.

It was wave after wave of Barnet attack and Ryan Glover’s cross-shot flashed just wide of the upright.

A third goal inevitably arrived on 27 minutes as Barnet moved the ball from one side of the pitch to the other with little pressure. When Rhys Browne was found in the box, he had enough space to turn and arrow another unstoppable shot into the top corner.

A yellow card for skipper Toby Edser, who clattered into the back of Shelton showed Ebbsfleet’s frustrations. But it went from bad to worse on 33 minutes as a flowing Barnet move involving Brunt ended with Collinge pulling the ball back for Glover to convert. It was the 50th league goal conceded by Ebbsfleet this season, in 22 games.

As bad as Ebbsfleet were in the first half, take nothing away from a Barnet side who flew forward with aplomb. Their movement, interchange and ball retention was excellent,

There were flickers of quality from the visitors, on-loan QPR man Alex Aoraha got himself clear of two players on the edge of his own penalty area and drove into the Barnet half. Callum Harriott again tried to be positive, firing over on 41 minutes, but he was feeding off scraps for the most part.

Wright’s first half-time team talk prompted a triple change for the second half with Franklin Domi, Dominic Poleon and Cosgrave all introduced. Ebbsfleet changed shape and there was more of an attacking threat.

Cousins was again called into action on 55 minutes to turn behind a fierce Glover shot before keeping out Anthony Hartigan’s free-kick.

Rakish Bingham joined the Fleet attack and after a corner was only half-cleared, Edser fired over from 20 yards while, with 10 minutes left, substitute Maxx Manktelow found Poleon but he shot wide from the edge of the area.

Ebbsfleet finally got a goal for their spirited second-half efforts with seven minutes to go, ending a run of 505 minutes without a league goal. Manktelow’s brilliant turn on halfway saw him send Poleon through and when keeper Nick Hayes rushed out of his box and missed his kick, the Fleet striker showed plenty of composure to beat the retreating Myles Kenlock and slide into an empty net.

The Fleet were still indebted to Cousins for a couple of late saves as he marked his return to the side with an excellent performance, despite conceding those four goals in the first half.

Barnet: Hayes, Collinge, Browne (Stead 71mins), Kabamba, Glover (Kanu 71mins), Brunt (Cropper 76mins), Hartigan (Clifford 76mins), Shelton, Oluwo, Tavares (Coker 71mins), Kenlock. Subs not used: Bellagambi, Grimwood.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, John, Cordner (Domi 46mins), Dallison, Kane, Edser, Aoraha (Manktelow 77mins), Davies (Cosgrave 46mins), Harriott (Bingham 65mins), Kwame Thomas (Poleon 46mins). Subs not used: Berry, Tanga.

Referee: Oliver Mackey.

Attendance: 1,583.