Sean Shields fired Ebbsfleet to victory on Saturday by coming off the bench to score twice against FC Halifax.

The winger, on his return from injury, broke the deadlock at the start of the second half and struck again 19 minutes from time after coming on for the injured Andy Drury.

Shields' double handed Fleet back-to-back wins for the first time this season and for the first time at this level since November 2012.

Strikers Danny Kedwell and Darren McQueen were restored to the starting line-up as Fleet went 4-4-2 against a Halifax side who began the day just a point off the top of the National League.

Danny Mills and Luke Coulson dropped to the bench while Dean Rance replaced the injured Jack Payne in midfield.

The Shaymen's only change saw David Lynch come in for the suspended Scott Garner.

Adam Morgan had an shot blocked by Kenny Clark and then forced a diving save from Nathan Ashmore after Jack Connors was beaten too easily when Halifax broke down their right.

Ebbsfleet took a while to assert themselves but they almost took the lead on 20 minutes. McQueen had the chance to run at Nathan Hotte and got a left-footed shot away but goalkeeper Sam Johnson was equal to it.

However, the visitors were in the ascendancy and when Matt Kosylo got away from Chris Bush in the penalty area, it needed another smart save from Ashmore to keep his snap shot out at the near post.

Sam Magri's positive run out of defence created an opening for McQueen and when Magri received the ball back, his shot deflected behind for a corner.

Deft footwork from Jack Powell took him past two defenders in the penalty area although Johnson was out quickly to block his shot. Magri fired a shot wide from the resulting corner.

The hosts were forced into a change late in the first half when Drury went down injured. Shields was sent on to play down the left with Powell moving inside to partner Rance.

On the opposite flank, Myles Weston played a sharp one-two with Kedwell and fizzed a low shot narrowly wide as the hosts ended the first half on top.

Ebbsfleet survived a scare inside the first minute of the second half when Ashmore spilled Morgan's free-kick in the six-yard box. Luckily for the home side, no-one in yellow was there for the rebound and Kedwell hacked the loose ball clear.

And from their next attack Fleet took the lead. McQueen found Shields in space down the left and he cut inside before rifling a powerful shot past Johnson's right hand.

Halifax responded well to going behind, Tom Denton sending two efforts wide of the target and Ashmore getting down well at his near post to beat out a cross/shot from Kosylo.

But with a vocal home crowd right behind them, Fleet pushed the Shaymen back and it needed a timely intervention from right-back Cliff Moyo to stop Shields touching home Weston's deep cross from the right.

Lynch fired a shot over but Shields settled the game with another fine strike, collecting McQueen's pass on the right-hand side of the box and this time scoring with his left foot.

Ebbsfleet's backline held firm as Halifax threw men forward in the time that remained and Ashmore comfortably gathered a Morgan shot from distance.

Weston twice went close to making it 3-0 and Powell curled a free-kick over as the home side closed out the win in a thoroughly professional manner.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Magri, Clark, Bush, Connors, Weston, Rance, Drury (Shields 40mins), Powell, Kedwell, McQueen (Coulson 76mins). Subs not used: McCoy, Miles, Mills.

Halifax: Johnson, Moyo (McManus 80mins), Brown, Hotte, Wilde, McDonald (Charles 63mins), Oliver (Clarke 30mins), Lynch, Kosylo, Denton, Morgan. Subs not used: Nicholson, Tomlinson.

Attendance: 1,643.