Ebbsfleet’s winless run extended to five National League games on Tuesday night after Dorking bagged all three points at Stonebridge Road.

It was the first meeting between the two clubs since the National League South Play-off FInal in 2022, which was won by Dorking in dramatic style.

While this game didn’t have anywhere near the twists and turns of that day, the same team were victorious again.

The first half was a tight affair with few chances at either end.

The Fleet, fresh from a 6-1 hammering at Altrincham on Saturday, made clear their first task was to keep it tight defensively, boss Dennis Kutrieb favouring a back four to close up potential gaps.

It seemed to work, aside from an early Tom Blair strike at goal which keeper Mark Cousins comfortably saved.

At the other end, good work down the left by Toby Edser ended with a half-chance at the near post which was prodded wide by Ouss Cisse, who was back in a more familiar midfield role.

Ben Chapman nearly had a clear run on goal but Dorking defender Joe Cook made a vital interception to cut out Haydn Hollis’ precise ball out of defence.

Hollis was getting the better of his battle against Jason Prior, although when the Dorking striker did get a key header, he set up James McShane who hooked his shot wide from the edge of the box, when he probably had more time than he realised.

Fleet employed David Amoo down the right and he had the beating of the visitors with his pace. Dorking never cleared the ball after good work by Amoo, the ball eventually falling to Chapman, whose snapshot was saved by keeper Harrison Male.

The best chance of the first half arrived in the second minute of stoppages. The speedy Amoo again progressed down the right wing and delivered a perfect cross for Edser, who screwed his right-foot shot horribly wide from 12 yards out.

If the first half lacked chances, they were coming along like London buses at the start of the second half.

Within 50 seconds, Nathan Odokonyero was unable to fashion an effort on goal from Chapman’s centre and then Amoo flashed a shot wide of the far post following Luke O’Neill’s clever through ball.

Domi played Odokonyero behind Cook but he was back to block his shot as the Fleet looked to flex their attacking muscles.

But Dorking showed they were not going to sit back, immediately breaking down the other end in a flowing move with McShane unable to get enough power behind his shot to seriously trouble Cousins.

Josh Taylor’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected behind before Dorking took the lead on 59 minutes. Boss Marc White introduced substitute Harry Ottaway five minutes earlier and he had an immediate impact, brilliantly heading in Prior’s header to give the visitors the advantage.

The Fleet introduced a substitute of their own in Omari Sterling-James and his left-wing cross was headed wide by Odokonyero.

Injury forced O’Neill off with 13 minutes left and his replacement, Craig Tanner, had a low right-foot shot saved by Harrison Male, who by now must have been testing the patience of referee Farai Halam with his time-wasting antics.

Cousins had to tip over Blair’s 25-yard free-kick but Ebbsfleet nearly levelled a minute later, substitute Shaq Coulthirst connecting at the far post with Cisse’s cross from the left but turning the ball the wrong side of the upright.

Coulthirst fired just wide again with seven minutes left. Creating the chance himself with a clever turn near halfway, Coulthirst then raced into the box after Odokonyero’s cross but the ball went wide of the near post with many in the crowd thinking it had nestled into the top corner.

Despite a second half of six substitutions, a goal celebration and countless stoppages for injuries, only five minutes were added on by the officials with the FA’s new directives at the start of the season seemingly a distant memory already.

WIth injured striker Dominic Poleon watching on from the stands, the Fleet lacked a cutting edge no matter how long the game went on for.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O’Neill (Tanner 77mins), White, Hollis, Domi, Amoo (Sterling-James 60mins), Wright, Cisse, Edser (Coulthirst 70mins), Chapman, Odokonyero. Subs not used: Tanner, McQueen, Clifford.

Dorking: Male, Francomb, Cook, Kennedy, Gallagher, Briggs (Seager 60mins), Kuhl (Ottaway 54mins), Taylor, Blair, McShane, Prior (Philpot 67mins). Subs not used: Hulk, Lankshear.

Referee: Farai Halam.

Attendance: 1,304 (124 away).