On a chilly November evening Ebbsfleet United were unable to find the win that they needed to warm the hearts of their supporters.

Visitors, Eastleigh arrived at the Kufflink Stadium having not won in ten games and with no victory on the road since August. However, a goalkeeping error in the second half helped them to end those runs.

In the opening stages, the Spitfires looked lively and most of the action was in Ebbsfleet’s final third of the pitch. Noa Boutin had an early shot deflected well over after the hosts struggled to defend a long throw then Paul McCallum had a shot towards the near post pushed wide by goalkeeper Mark Cousins.

Josh Wright did well to clear off the line before a Jake Taylor flick on allowed Tyrese Shade to put Scott Quigley through on goal but Cousins was out quickly to block.

Rakish Bingham created the Fleet’s first chance by holding it up well and laying off to Aaron Cosgrave and his low shot was saved by Joe McDonnell.

Lloyd Humphries crossed to McCallum who hooked high above the goal then Shade found space to lay it back to Dominic Gape who side footed over from twenty yards. One last opportunity fell to the Spitfires when another Humphries flick on landed in the path of McCallum just inside the penalty area however, he too was unable to keep his shot down.

Harry Watling, Ebbsfleet’s manager, made a change at half time by replacing Franklin Domi with Tom Dallison to enable him to go with a back three rather than the four that they had in the first period.

Tyler Cordner launched a long throw that Humphries headed back into his own penalty area and it fell for Jephte Tanga whose first time shot missed the target by inches before Shade’s shot flew straight at Cousins at the other end.

Shortly after the hour mark, the deadlock was broken. Cousins tried a pass out but it was intercepted by Quigley. Although the Fleet goalkeeper partly closed down the angle, Quigley shifted it to the right before slotting it into the bottom corner.

Substitute Todd Kane caused problems for McDonnell with a tricky cross that he couldn’t hold but luck was on his side when it bounced against Ludwig Francilette’s knee and back into his hands before Josh Wright shot just wide from twenty yards.

As Ebbsfleet threw players forward looking for an equaliser, they had to risk conceding again and Quigley had a shot deflected past the post after it had pinballed around the penalty area.

Anthony Stewart’s effort was blocked by McDonnell with just over ten minutes remaining but that was as near as the hosts came with Eastleigh seeing out the remaining time relatively comfortably.

Defeat left Ebbsfleet still eleven points adrift of safety ahead of their home game on Saturday against Boston United who are one place above them.

Ebbsfleet United: Cousins, O’Neill (Kane 63), Chapman, Domi, (Dallison 46), Stewart, Cordner, Tanga (Manktelow 82), Wright, Bingham, Edser, Cosgrave (Poleon 72).

Subs not used: Fonguck, Wakeley, Berry.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: O’Neill, Dallison, Stewart

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Humphries, Vokins (Gape 29, (Fernandez 78)), Waruih, Francilette, Maher, Shade (Maguire 78), Taylor, Quigley, Taylor, McCallum (Brindley 63), Boutin.

Subs not used: Scott, Stepien-Iwumene, Underhill.

Goalscorer: Quigley (61)

Yellow cards: McCallum, Humphries

Referee: Aaron Farmer

Assistants: David Hutton and Thomas Whay

Fourth Official: Ayrton Hursey

Attendance: 1,023