Ebbsfleet suffered a home defeat on the opening day of the new National League season on Saturday,

Fleet were undone by a moment of magic from former Maidstone forward Zavon Hines.

Playing in a central role, Hines won and then scored a second-half penalty to give former Gills boss Martin Allen a winning start in his new job.

Ebou Adams, making his Fleet debut, immediately stood out for the home side. He drove forward and shot straight at keeper Shwan Jalal in the 10th minute.

He went even closer midway through the first half, his late run untracked into the penalty area as he met Lawrie Wilson’s cross only for Adams’ header to come back off the bar. Skipper Danny Kedwell nodded the rebound over from close range.

Chesterfield striker Gozie Ugwu cut a frustrated figure for the visitors while alongside him Hines got little change out of a new-look Fleet defence which contained summer recruit Jack King.

Kedwell headed over a Myles Weston cross as the former Southend and Gillingham wideman had plenty of success down the left wing against Bradley Barry.

Chesterfield switched to match Fleet with a three-man defence in the second half and they started to gain the upper hand.

Fleet keeper Nathan Ashmore had to beat away Hines’ free-kick before Barry put the rebound over.

Kedwell saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end moments later but Chesterfield came again as Curtis Weston nodded back a set-piece move and Will Evans directed his header just wide.

Zines produced a moment of magic to break the deadlock midway through the second half. His jinking run saw him past two defenders and exchange passes with substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune before drawing a foul from Sam Magri.

Zines picked himself up to send Ashmore the wrong way from the spot and the large number of visiting fans into raptures.

Fleet introduced Sean Shields and Jack Powell, along with new signing Michael Cheek from Dagenham, but were unable to create any clear-cut chances late on - Cheek heading over at the death and several efforts from distance failing to find the target.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, King, Magri, Adams (Cheek 60mins), Kedwell, Drury (Powell 72mins), Weston, Payne, Whitely, Bush, Wilson (Shields 67mins). Subs not used: Miles, McQueen.

Chesterfield: Jalal, Ugwu (Fortune 55mins), Evans, Smith (Maguire 68mins), Weston, Nelson, Hines, Barry, Talbot, Weir (Muggleton 84mins), Carter. Subs not used: Wedgbury, Shaw.

Attendance: 2,041.