Ebbsfleet finished 2018 on a high with a fifth straight home win in the National League.

Their victory over Eastleigh lifted them above the Spitfires in the race for the play-offs.

Fleet played some of their best football under Garry Hill and could have won by more at Stonebridge Road.

With the games coming thick and fast, Ebbsfleet boss Garry Hill rang the changes to his starting XI.

Jack King replaced the injured Dave Winfield at centre-half while there were also recalls for Dean Rance, Myles Weston, Corey Whitely and Michael Cheek.

Fleet had made the perfect start against Braintree on Boxing Day and they repeated the trick here.

There were just two minutes on the clock when Danny Kedwell flicked on Nathan Ashmore's drop kick and Cheek punished hesitant defending by nipping in to roll the ball under goalkeeper Luke Southwood.

Kedwell was winning everything in the air and Whitely blazed a shot over when he helped on a free-kick from Chris Bush.

Eastleigh opened the hosts up down the left-hand side but Cavaghn Miley's cutback was behind Ben Williamson and moments later they were 2-0 down.

The ball took a bobble as Jack Payne went to play it forward and he sliced it high in the air but the midfielder recovered to head forward and keep the move alive. Fleet worked the ball wide to Whitely and his low cross from the right was touched home by Kedwell as he made a great run across his man at the near post.

Confidence was flooding through the home side and King flashed a header across the face of goal from Payne's right-wing corner.

Another big moment went Ebbsfleet's way when Williamson was played clear in the box only for a brilliant fingertip save from Ashmore to deny him a goal.

But when a gaping hole appeared in the Spitfires defence, Ebbsfleet should have made it 3-0. Kedwell played Whitely in but instead of pulling the trigger, he delayed his shot and that allowed Southwood to spread himself and smother the ball.

Eastleigh were seeing more of the ball now but with Cheek leading the line superbly and Kedwell coming deep, Ebbsfleet posed a threat every time they went forward.

Some of their approach play was a joy to watch and when Andy Drury's dinked ball into the channel found Kedwell on the run, his low cross almost laid on another goal for Cheek.

But the ruthless streak returned eight minutes before half-time when Whitely latched onto Payne's pass down the right and finished low beyond Southwood.

Kedwell, so dominant in the air, showed his quality on the floor too as he twisted and whipped in a cross which the visitors just managed to scramble clear late in the first half.

Ebbsfleet picked up where they left off after the interval.

Weston's cross from the left just eluded Whitely in the middle and Cheek volleyed over before Whitely brought down Sam Magri's long ball and fired wide at the near post.

At the other end, Mark Yeates swirled a shot wide but the Spitfires were growing increasingly frustrated at their inability to get back in the game.

Cavernous spaces were starting to appear in the Eastleigh defence and Cheek spun his man only to see Kedwell slip when he looked to pick out his strike partner in the middle.

Cheek was running the visitors ragged and he set himself up with a great touch before shooting just wide.

A rare slip in the Fleet defence allowed Chris Zebroski a sight of goal but his low shot from the right-hand side was well saved by Ashmore.

Hill was able to bring Kedwell off well before the end, with one eye on the trip to Braintree on New Year's Day.

It was more of a containing job in the closing stages but Ebbsfleet's work-rate never diminished and Cheek almost converted a flashing cross from Weston.

Adams snatched at his shot from a Whitely pass and dragged the ball well wide as Fleet turned on the style with the game won.

A few fancy flicks in midfield opened Eastleigh up and Cheek unselfishly squared for Adams but his tame shot was straight at Southwood just as you felt certain the net would bulge.

Eastleigh might have pulled a goal back late on when a cross from the right hit substitute Freddy Moncut and dropped for Zebroski but Ashmore stood up well to block his shot at the near post and make sure of a clean sheet.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Magri, King, Bush, Weston, Drury, Payne, Rance (Wilson 53mins), Whitely (Moncur 86mins), Kedwell (Adams 60mins), Cheek. Subs not used: McDonald, Graham.

Eastleigh: Southwood, Wynter, Boyce (Zebroski 50mins), Johnson, Hare, Jones, Gobern, Yeates, Miley, McKnight (McCallum 67mins), Williamson (Dennett 67mins). Subs not used: Harvey, Bearwish.

Attendance: 1,305.