Ebbsfleet stretched their lead at the top of National League South to five points with a comfortable win over Braintree on Tuesday night.

Top scorer Dominic Poleon and former Gillingham forward Greg Cundle both scored twice for the Fleet made it eight wins out of eight on a rain-soaked evening at Stonebridge Road.

Braintree arrived in fifth place and on the back of three straight wins and the final scoreline was probably harsh on the visitors who rather than try and park the bus, did at least push bodies forward in an attempt to give the leaders a game. Their brave approach failed to pay off.

The Fleet made two changes from their last outing, with Joe Martin and Josh Wright returning to the starting line-up.

Braintree started brightly and penned the hosts back, their front four playing right up against the Fleet’s defensive line. It meant the home side were struggling to get out, although you always had the feeling that it was a risk to play so high against an Ebbsfleet side with pace to burn.

So it proved when the home side went ahead on 13 minutes, Craig Tanner playing in Dominic Poleon, whose calm finish beyond keeper Jack Sims showed all the confidence of a striker scoring his eighth goal of the campaign.

For all their attacking intent, Braintree were unable to create a chance until the 26th minute when Aaron Blair cut in from the right but shot high and wide of Mark Cousins’ goal.

The Fleet doubled their advantage on 34 minutes when Greg Cundle’s brilliant one-two with Wright opened up the Braintree defence and the former Gills man slotted home his third goal of the season.

Bingham shot wide after Poleon’s pace nearly capitalised on indecision in the Braintree defence just past the hour mark before Omari Sterling-James sent a 30-yard free-kick well over the bar.

The game was put beyond doubt with 20 minutes left when Cundle worked some space just inside the area and fired an excellent left-foot shot past Sims into the far corner for his second of the night.

Fleet added a third in the 73rd minute when a blistering counter attack left them about five on one, Josh Wright setting up Poleon, who blasted home emphatically beyond Sims.

There was a rare appearance from the bench for Ben Chapman and he nearly added a fifth for the Fleet. After Chapman cut in from the left, Sims did brilliantly tip over his 20-yard right-foot shot.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O’Neill, Martin, Wright, Sterling-James (McQueen 71mins), N’Guessan (Monlouis 79mins), Bingham, Tanner, Poleon, Cundle (Chapman 76mins), Solly. Subs not used: Jombati, Edser.

Braintree: Sims, Altintop, Ikebuasi, Muscatt, White, Clements, Blair, Payne (Anderson 61mins), Reynolds (Fowkes 61mins), Matthews, Rush (Clemons 77mins). Subs not used: Marigliani, Regis.

Referee: Jack Packman.

Attendance: 945.