Harriers 3, Ebbsfleet 2

THESE are heady days for Harriers as a first win over Ebbsfleet since 2008 lifted them to the top-of-the-table.

While their goal-difference is slightly inferior to Wrexham’s, the fact they drew level with the Dragons means for the first time since the end of the 1999-00 campaign, this grand old Worcestershire club were briefly the Conference’s top dogs.

Victory was earned the hard way but a convincing second-half display sunk the battling Fleet.

Harriers had been caught cold as struggling Ebbsfleet took the game to them and opened the scoring in fortuitous fashion.

Danny Lewis had produced a superb one-handed diving save to get a hand to Dammy Shitta’s effort from the edge of the box, but the ball looped up and instead of going over the bar snuck under it.

Harriers replied 60 seconds later as they outmuscled their robust opponents.

Fleet manager Liam Daish felt Greg Pearson had impeded keeper Preston Edwards, after Kyle Storer had kept Marvin Johnson’s cross alive in the box, but when James Vincent rifled home there was no reaction from the officials and the goal stood.

Vincent should have put the hosts ahead moments later but he dithered with a one-on-one and allowed Edwards to save.

But it was Blue Square Bet Premier player-of-the-month Anthony Malbon who inevitably handed Harriers the lead after a an error in judgement by Edwards mid-way through the second-half.

The keeper had rushed out too far when Malbon chased a searching long ball from Mickey Demetriou and the in-form poacher drilled home from a tight angle to make it seven goals in six games.

Substitute Callum Gittings ensured there was breathing space with a low strike after good work by Johnson and Ryan Rowe in the 87th minute.

But there was late drama when Ebbsfleet man mountain Nathan Elder, who saw a header crash off the bar before, went down easily under pressure from Gowling and slotted home an injury time penalty.

Previously, Gowling had insisted on remaining on the pitch after a clash of heads with Liam Enver-Marum, although he revealed after the game he had no recollection of the second-half.

Harriers: Lewis 7, Vaughan 7, Demetriou 7, Storer 8, Vincent 6, Malbon 7 (Devaney 90), Johnson 6, Briggs 6 (Gittings 76), Dunkley 7, Pearson 6 (Rowe 82), Gowling 7. Subs not used: Williams, N Vaughan.

Ebbsfleet: Edwards, Lorraine, Enver-Marum (Azeez 82), Howe, Barrett, Gwillim, Scott, Saville, Carew, Shitta (Bellamy 81), Alabi (Elder 64). Subs not used: Walsh, Menz.

Referee: Brett Huxtable (Devon). Attendance: 2,048 (47).