Spirited Ebbsfleet gave Bromley a Boxing Day scare before losing at Stonebridge Road on Boxing Day.

After falling behind early on, the Fleet responded in the second half to equalise but the visitors cemented their second place in the league with two goals in nine minutes.

Ebbsfleet made two changes to the team that drew at York on Saturday with Matthias Fanimo and Luke O’Neil replacing Greg Cundle and Toby Edser.

Former Fleet striker Michael Cheek led the line for Bromley while Corey Whitely also started with Myles Weston on the bench.

Ebbsfleet were given an eighth-minute warning when they conceded possession cheaply on the edge of their own box and Whitely somehow turned Olufela Olomola’s square pass wide of the upright.

But it was clearly a warning not heeded as within a minute, the Fleet were again robbed on the edge of the penalty area and Whitely squared for Cheek to score into an open net.

It was a lead that could have been doubled but keeper Mark Cousins did well to save from Josh Pasley after good work by the impressive Olomola, who gave pace to the Bromley attack.

Ebbsfleet finally cleared their heads and came into the contest during the second part of the first half.

Breaking from a Bromley throw-in, Myles Kenlock fed Dominic Poleon, who beat last-man Whitely before seeing his low shot saved by the legs of keeper Grant Smith.

Within a minute Smith was again called into action when he saved low down from Dominic Samuel.

At the other end Cousins pushed behind a fierce Ben Krauhaus effort before Fleet responded again as Luke O’Neill and Samuel both had long-range attempts saved by Smith.

It took Ebbsfleet just eight minutes of the second half to get back on level terms when great work by Ben Chapman down the left saw him cross for Poleon to score his 11th of the season from close range.

Suddenly the game shifted in Ebbsfleet’s favour although they were nearly caught out on the counter attack as Bromley broke through Cheek, last-man Darren McQueen making a vital tackle inside his own half to prevent a clear run at Cousins’ goal.

Within a minute, Ebbsfleet were nearly ahead as Samuel’s growing influence on the game saw him race down the right and cross for Chapman, whose shot was deflected over for a corner.

Ebbsfleet had Bromley on the retreat but they were dealt a cruel blow when Bromley regained the lead on 66 minutes. Krauhaus tried his luck from 25 yards and his low shot deflected off Ouss Cisse to leave Cousins wrong-footed and beaten at his near post.

The game was put beyond doubt when Olomola evaded Josh Wright’s challenge with 15 minutes left and drove into the penalty area before his low shot was too good for Cousins.

Ebbsfleet set up a grandstand finish when substitute Craig Tanner played in Poleon, whose cool finish took his tally for the season to 12 in the 89th minute.

Cousins – who scored an equaliser in stoppage time at York – again went forward for a corner in the fourth minute of stoppages but the ball was cleared by the visitors. He was up again for what proved the last action of the game, as Fleet won a corner which Tanner put under the bar but the ball was brilliantly defended by Bromley.

The two teams meet again in the return fixture on Saturday at Hayes Lane, kick-off 3pm.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O’Neill, White, Martin (Cundle 80mins), Kenlock, Chapman (Tanner 80mins), Wright, Cisse, Fanimo (McQueen 58mins), Samuel, Poleon. Subs not used: Bingham, Edser.

Bromley: Smith, Reynolds, Leigh (Woods 70mins), Passley (Weston 46mins), Cheek, Kirk, Webster, Whitely, Topalloj, Krauhaus, Olomola. Subs not used: Sharman-Lowe, Dennis, Jones.

Referee: Paul Johnson.

Attendance: 1,988.