Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb admits his team deserve to be in the National League relegation zone.

The Fleet marked the midway point of their league programme last weekend with a 2-0 loss at fellow strugglers Kidderminster.

It leaves Kutrieb’s men with 22 points from 23 games, and they’ll need to improve their return in the second half of the season to avoid an immediate return to National League South.

“We are where we are and we deserve to be where we are because we haven’t done things good enough,” stated Kutrieb.

“In the beginning we started very well and then we struggled because of injuries. Now it’s up and down, we get some good performances but don’t get the results.

“Even last Saturday I wouldn’t say it was a bad performance, we ended [the game] strong and got some crucial decisions against us. Regardless, we need to make sure we get points on the board.

“We need to focus on these things and how to win a game of football. Kidderminster desperately needed a win and their intensity was better than us in the first part of the game.”

Kutrieb dismissed any suggestion that there was a lack of desire or hunger within his squad.

“It's just intensity,” responded the Fleet boss. “I can’t see that we don’t have desire or hunger. The boys were very positive after the last game and got a deserved win at Oldham.

“We tried hard at Kidderminster in the end of the game but if they didn’t show hunger, they wouldn’t try to turn the result around but I think they tried hard in the second half.

“They could have caught us on counters in the beginning of the second half as we were over-committed but for a good reason as we were trying hard to score a goal.

“I can accept the second half but I can’t accept the last five minutes in the first half.”

Ebbsfleet, who are at home to Bishop’s Stortford in the FA Trophy this weekend, return to their league programme at home to Barnet on December 16.