Ebbsfleet's goal drought at Stonebridge Road continued on Saturday when they were beaten by Salford City.

For the third home game running, Fleet failed to score as the pre-season title favourites proved too strong.

They looked dead on their feet at times but refused to give in and could have nicked a point late on.

Ebbsfleet only had 12 senior players available because of injuries and suspensions so Garry Hill's team virtually picked itself. Myles Weston deputised for Chris Bush at left-back, with Bagasan Graham returning on the left wing while Danny Kedwell was recalled to partner Michael Cheek up front.

The visitors arrived on a seven-match winless streak but they were able to make five changes and certainly looked far fresher in the first half.

It was all Salford early on, with the home midfield dropping deep to help out their defence - leaving Kedwell and Cheek isolated.

Ebbsfleet barely got out of their half in the opening 45 minutes as the Ammies dominated territory and possession.

Ibou Touray's cross almost reached Gus Mafuta in the middle and red shirts threw themselves in front of Lois Maynard's follow-up.

Nathan Pond hammered a shot over the bar when a corner from the left ran loose and Mafuta saw another shot charged down as Salford continued to press.

A downward header from Carl Piergianni dropped just wide when Devonte Redmond picked him out with a free-kick and Touray then drove a free-kick into the wall.

The last thing Fleet needed was another injury so there was understandable concern when Ebou Adams stayed down after throwing himself in front of a shot from Mafuta. The midfielder got up holding his hamstring but fortunately was able to carry on.

It took a flying save from Nathan Ashmore to deny Matt Green the opener on the half-hour but he was beaten two minutes later.

A corner from the left was swung to the back post and when the ball was nodded back into the six-yard box, Piergianni's header dropped inside the post to give Salford a well-deserved lead.

Kedwell and Cheek were getting no service in attack and when a hanging cross from Andy Drury did reach Cheek at the back post, his header dropped tamely wide.

Fleet survived a scare on the stroke of half-time when Ashmore let a Pond header go only to turn and see the ball strike the outside of the post.

It was hard to see how Hill could change the game, with only one senior player on the bench, and the game continued in a similar vein after the break.

Ashmore smothered a Green shot after kicking the ball against him, before Pond went close from the resulting corner.

Adams was fortunate to escape what would have been his 10th booking of the season for a challenge in midfield and, knowing one more yellow card would bring a two-match ban, Adams was promptly substituted.

Redmond hammered a shot over as the Ammies, who were now first to every 50/50, looked to kill the game off.

Set-pieces looked Ebbsfleet's only hope of getting back in the game but Kedwell was left waving his arms in frustrations after heading well wide from Jack Payne's right-wing corner.

Ashmore got right behind a long shot from Maynard before Weston drifted an awful free-kick straight into Chris Neal's arms with all the big men up from the back.

To their great credit, Fleet kept working and when another Payne corner was only half-cleared, Graham's shot ricocheted behind off Maynard.

There must have been some extremely tired legs out there in the closing stages but the home side ran themselves into the ground and pushed Salford back.

Ebbsfleet won a late free-kick in a dangerous position when Cheek was chopped down but Weston's effort looped onto the roof of the net.

Drury told referee Andrew Miller what he thought of him at full-time and was shown a red card for his troubles.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Wilson, Magri, King, Weston, Adams (Whitely 61mins), Drury, Payne, Graham, Kedwell, Cheek. Subs not used: Miles, Moncur, Omar.

Salford: Neal, Wiseman, Touray, Mafuta, Hogan, Piergianni, Green, Maynard, Redmond, Pond, Dieseruvwe (Gaffney 81mins). Subs not used: Lloyd, Walker, Crocombe, Jones.

Attendance: 1,708.