Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb believes the confidence from their recent return to form came to the fore in midweek.

The Fleet needed a goal in either half from Rakish Bingham and Luke O’Neill to overcome Chelmsford at Stonebridge Road on Tuesday night and return to the top of National League South.

It was a third successive league success for Kutrieb’s side.

“We said after Dartford we’ve got 23 games to go and we need to put points on the board,” reflected Kutrieb.

“The wins against Weymouth and Dover added confidence and you could see it. The boys that came in weren’t shaky. Alex Finney - just one example of a few - had so much confidence.

“If every player has enough confidence, then we don’t need to be worried about opponents, we just need to be worried about us and that we put a performance in.”

Kutrieb described the Fleet’s opening goal, converted by Bingham, as one of the best goals he’s seen this season.

“Three points, well done to the boys again for a great shift,” said the Fleet boss.

“We played a good game and we needed to because they’re a very good side. I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in the play-offs.

“It was a great team goal that started with the goalkeeper. It was one of the best goals I’ve seen this season as every pass was perfect, good timing, we switched the play and it was a great finish.

“As a manager you always like to see those goals as they are amazing.”

Josh Wright returned to the Fleet line-up for the first time in over three months, and Kutrieb explained why he was replaced early in the second half rather than at half-time.

“It’s easy to sub someone off at half-time but after half-time when you get cold a bit, to then go again for a few minutes and take him off was the idea,” he said.

“The crucial time for injured players is that short period after getting cold and sitting and waiting. I wanted to make sure he overcomes that as quick as possible and that’s why I gave him five more minutes in the game before we took him off.”

The three wins have given Ebbsfleet a big boost as they embark on a busy run of matches in the next few weeks.

They’ve got a big match against Havant to come at Stonebridge Road in early February but Kutrieb isn’t looking too far ahead.

“Until the end of February we still have 10 games,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to think too far ahead, we just need to make sure we’re ready for Farnborough and then Dulwich.

“We need to take it one game at a time. We’ve a big squad. Josh Wright looked like a new signing for me, hopefully he came through fine and the first assessment after the game was that he’s okay.”

As for nudging neighbours Dartford off top spot on goal difference, the Fleet boss added: “That’s good but it doesn’t matter at the moment. There’s three more months to go. IF we’re top of the table in three months then I’m happy.”