Ebbsfleet went goal crazy against Worthing for the second time this season on a chilly Tuesday night.

The Fleet moved another step closer to the National League South title, extending their lead over second-placed Dartford to 17 points with just nine games left to play.

Having won 6-0 at Worthing before Christmas, they scored seven past them this time - with seven different scorers.

After the weekend stalemate with Hemel Hempstead, there were four changes for the home side, with Shaq Coulthirst, Chris Solly, Ben Chapman and Franklin Domi coming into the Ebbsfleet line-up.

The hosts forced three corners in the first three minutes, but as they did during Saturday’s goalless draw with Hemel Hempstead, they were unable to beat the front man.

Worthing served notice in the fourth minute when Fleet keeper Mark Cousins had to be alert to push away Lewis White’s right-foot effort after he was allowed to advance into the penalty area.

The visitors went ahead on 11 minutes, Ollie Pearce saw Cousins push away his shot and Reece Myles-Meekums reacted quickest to tuck away the rebound from close range.

Ebbsfleet were gifted an equaliser on 21 minutes. Keeper Harrison Male tried to play out from the back and succeeded in playing the ball straight to Domi, who fed Coulthirst to score from 12 yards.

Male was called up to the England C squad earlier in the week but that form wasn’t evident at Stonebridge Road. There were question marks over his work again when the Fleet went ahead on 27 minutes. The Fleet’s fifth corner of the night was only half-cleared and Rakish Bingham’s looping header found its way into the net from the far post.

Coulthirst nearly added a third just after the half-hour but Male stayed big to deny him a second goal of the night.

Worthing went close to an equaliser five minutes before half-time when a short corner by Kane Wills found on-loan Gills midfielder Josh Chambers but his right-foot curler was pushed away to safety by Cousins.

It was a rare involvement for Wills, who didn’t get into the game as the Fleet deployed Domi to do a man-marking job.

Toby Edser almost netted before half-time at the other end but excellent defending from Worthing saw two shots in quick succession blocked, before Male turned away Omari Sterling-James’ right-foot shot.

But the Fleet did go into the break with a two-goal advantage thanks to a stunning right-foot shot by Luke O’Neill from 25 yards which left Male with no chance in first-half stoppage time.

It took just four minutes of the second half for Ebbsfleet to extend their lead. Sterling-James went past James Beresford far too easily down the right and was able to arrow an unstoppable near-post shot beyond Male to finally register his first goal for the club since joining last summer.

Worthing were clearly in charitable mood and they duly handed the home side a fifth goal just past the hour mark. Substitute Dominic Poleon had only been on the pitch for three minutes when he latched onto Joe Rye’s dreadful throw-in. With Male forcing him wide, Poleon took his time before unselfishly picking out Edser, who slotted past the defender on the line for a deserved goal.

The flurry of goals meant Fleet boss Dennis Kutrieb was able to use his substitutions earlier than usual, giving some players a reduced workload ahead of this Saturday’s trip to in-form Tonbridge.

Worthing pulled a goal back with 10 minutes left when Danny Barker beat Cousins from distance but it was never going to be more than a consolation. It actually sparked another double blow from Ebbsfleet.

The hosts added a sixth on 83 minutes when Joel Colbran turned an Edser free-kick into his own net. The goal was later credited to Poleon - his 29th of the campaign - although there was some debate whether he got a touch or not before it beat Male.

Then two minutes later, substitute Billy Clifford slotted home the seventh and his first goal for the club since joining from Havant.

At this stage it was hard to remember that Worthing were well in the game in the first half, and are still in the hunt for a play-off place. Once Ebbsfleet get in the groove they are unstoppable and so it proved again for the vast majority of the 1,021 crowd that braved the cold to enjoy.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, O'Neill, Solly, Martin (Clifford 66mins), Sterling-James (McQueen 71mins), Edser, N'Guessan, Domi, Chapman, Coulthirst, Bingham (Poleon 59mins). Subs not used: Jombati, Cundle.

Worthing: Male, Colbran, Wills, Racine, Barker, Chambers (Lee 65mins), Pearce, White (Rodari 51mins), Rye, Beresford (Livesey-Austin 51mins), Myles-Meekums. Subs not used: Bowry, Chadwick.

Referee: Andrew Humphries.

Attendance: 1,021.