Ebbsfleet have now gone three home matches without scoring a goal after losing to Havant in National League South.

Havant always looked too strong for Dennis Kutrieb's Fleet side, who were playing their first game after an enforced two-week break due to a Covid outbreak among their squad.

Ebbsfleet made four changes from their last game at home to Tonbridge with Sefa Kahraman, Jake Goodman, Josh Payne and Adam Mekki all starting.

Havant started brightly and set the tone inside the first five minutes.

Tommy Wright nearly deflected in Roarie Deacon's shot inside the second minute but keeper Jordan Holmes made a fine save for the Fleet.

Then former Ebbsfleet defender Sam Magri saw his header from a left-wing corner blocked as it went towards goal.

Fleet went close themselves on the counter attack when Will Wood advanced down the right wing, he cut inside and his left-foot curler went just past the upright.

Havant lost defender Moussa Diarra to injury and there was a further delay when the assistant referee could not continue.

Wood was the Fleet's bright spark in the opening 45 minutes and he nearly opened his account just before the half-hour, forcing a fine save from keeper Ross Worner who also denied Rakish Bingham from the follow-up.

Havant took the lead on 36 minutes. A short free-kick to the lively Deacon saw Holmes parry out his long-range shot, and substitute Craig Robson was on hand to convert the rebound.

It was 2-0 within two minutes. Josh Taylor cut in from the right and his intended left-foot shot fell perfectly for Tommy Wright, who made no mistake from eight yards.

Havant then had a penalty appeal turned down after Holmes collided with loan signing Leon Chambers-Parillon while Fleet also had shouts for a spot-kick turned down after Worner came out for a free-kick and only ended up making contact with Bingham, whose header went wide.

There was certainly a niggle to the game and both sides picked up three bookings each in the first half from referee Ben Atkinson.

Havant wrapped the game up just before the hour mark when Goodman's misplaced pass out of the Fleet defence handed possession to the visitors and Wright was sent through to slot home his second of the afternoon.

Feet made all their changes shortly afterwards and nearly pulled a goal back.

Lee Martin's right-foot shot was tipped over and from the resulting corner a near-post header by Bobby-Joe Taylor was cleared off the line with Fleet claiming it had gone in.

But that was as good as it got attacking-wise for the hosts as Havant played out the final 20 minutes with few alarms.

Ebbsfleet: Holmes, Adebayo-Rowling, Goodman (Rowan 61mins), Kahraman, B Taylor, Mekki, Payne (Egan 55mins), Paxman, Wood (Allen 61mins), Martin, Bingham. Subs not used: Hadler, Dobson.

Havant: Worner, Read, Straker, Poku (Clifford 55mins), Diarra (Robson 9mins), Magri, J Taylor, Gomis, Wright, Deacon (Ajakaiye 77mins), Chambers-Parillon. Subs not used: Kedwell, Irciofano.

Referee: Ben Atkinson.