While Ebbsfleet United fans were breaking open chocolate eggs, their side were busy breaking open Dover’s defence this Easter Monday as an accomplished performance made it a perfect holiday weekend for Josh Wright.

It was the Fleet’s biggest ever league win against a Dover side stretching back to 1947 and it came courtesy of a ruthlessness in front of goal combined with an authority at the back that lifts the team into fourth place.

Wright made two changes after the Kent derby win at Tonbridge, with Dom Samuel and Finlay Barnes coming in for Kwesi Appiah and Ben Coker.

In bright sunshine this Easter Monday, the Fleet maintained possession as they had done at Tonbridge but it was the visitors who initially proved to be the threat in the final third.

With five minutes on the clock, Ruben Soares-Junior’s neat turn to evade his marker gave George Nikaj sight of goal and his low drive was well parried by Matt Hall. It was a busy opening period for Hall as three minutes later he had to get down low at his post to beat out a Dover free-kick which Soares-Junior then contrived to turn on to the crossbar at the second time of asking.

The Whites – decked out in aquamarine blue – were left to rue those misses when Fleet opened the scoring with quarter of an hour gone. A Charlie Seaman corner appeared to offer no immediate danger but it glided perfectly into range of Ronny Nelson and the big defender kept his shot low and accurate to beat Mitch Walker.

Let off the leash with that early lead, the Fleet might have been two goals to the good two minutes later when Josh Coley fired just past the post. However, there was still work to be done at the other end as the game came alive, Nikaj sticking out an instinctive foot inside the Fleet box to direct the ball against the base of the post.

Pressing for an equaliser, Dover almost came unstuck when Jacob Mensah handed Barnes possession inside the Fleet half. Barnes set off on a run upfield under pressure from the Dover man but got a shot away that Walker turned just the other side of the upright with a little help from his post.

On the half hour, a furious set of tackles in and around the Fleet box ended with George Wilkinson getting a clear view of goal but again Hall was quick to react and he got both hands to a point-blank shot.

Another Fleet break involving Barnes kept the fans entertained as this time he and Coley got away through the middle but that one was also turned behind for a corner.

The hosts ended the first-half well on top. On 36 minutes, Samuel’s mazy run into the Dover box ended with a shot into Walker’s arms before another quick break produced some wonderful one-touch football, Seaman into Ben Chapman and over to Samuel in the six-yard box but his header was high.

A free-kick from Seaman in added time at the end of the half also promised a second goal but Tom Dallison sent his header just high of the bar.

With the lead still only a single goal, Fleet had work to do in the second-half and Momo Jallow had a powerful shot deflected over for a corner early on.

But that was as much as Dover threatened in the second period as the reds motored on towards the win. On 52 minutes, Seaman’s nifty pass inside found Chapman and just as he did at Tonbridge, the Fleet’s longest-serving player simply looked up and floated a fine shot across Walker’s goal to nestle in the bottom corner.

Two should have become three on the hour mark when Samuel found Gene Kennedy on the edge of the box with an exquisite pass. The Fleet midfielder launched a quick cross to the far post where Coley was steaming in but he touched the chance wide.

The third goal did arrive 10 minutes later and it had Dover in a spin. The Fleet drove forwards and the bright and effective Barnes took a shot from the left that ended up at the feet of Chapman. In a split second, he back-heeled the ball into Samuel’s path and although the top scorer’s shot was pushed out, Seaman was on to it in a flash to bury it beyond Walker.

Barnes provided the assist for number four from a similar position on 78 minutes. Almost on the byline, he squeezed a tight cross along the goalmouth which sat up invitingly for substitute Appiah to get a march on the Dover defence and send a low header over the line.

Searching for a fifth, a skilful run into the box by Kennedy was denied by Walker and Barnes then showed great feet to supply Appiah but the visitors cleared their lines.

Appiah was denied what seemed like a clear penalty as the board went up for added time and he was dragged back in the box but that was hardly going to spoil the afternoon as the Fleet now look ahead to another huge game at Hornchurch next Saturday.

EUFC: Hall, Passley (Olagunju 74), Dallison, Nelson, Kennedy, Seaman, Chapman (Manktelow 77), Edser, Barnes (Cosgrave 86), Coley (Coker 67), Samuel (Appiah 71).

Subs not used: Wyllie, Sandford.

DAFC: Walker, Charles-Cook (Marjoram 79), Mensah, Jallow (Sheriff 71), Sodje, Cocoracchio, Gurung, Wilkinson, Baptiste, Soares-Junior, Nikaj.

Subs not used: Sesay, Jones, Agbebi, Onu, Boakye-Sarfo.

Attendance: 1,642 (173 away)

Photos: ©EUFC: Tom Harris