Ebbsfleet took a step closer to promotion with victory at home to Gosport.

Goals from Danny Kedwell and John Paul Kissock made the difference for the National League South leaders at Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

Fleet remain 11 points clear at the top with nine games to go.

Nathan Ashmore made his debut in goal for the home side, having arrived from Gosport for an undisclosed fee just two days earlier. He replaced Brandon Hall, who, having previously been ever-present for the leaders, was left out of the squad altogether.

Fleet's other new signing, Sam Deering, started the afternoon on the bench while Bryan van den Bogaert came into Daryl McMahon's starting XI with Matt Fish suspended.

Gosport also fielded a debutant in goal, having signed George Legg on loan from Reading following Ashmore's departure. Mike Carter came in for the suspended Luke King, while manager Alex Pike also brought in George Barker and Dan Wooden for Perry Ryan and Adam Wilde.

The game started with two of the division's leading scorers, Matt Godden and Justin Bennett, on the pitch, but Godden's involvement lasted just 11 minutes.

He seemed to pull his hamstring in the process of heading wide a Stuart Lewis corner, won after Kedwell's shot had been blocked behind at the end of a flowing Fleet move.

It was soon clear that Godden couldn't carry on and Deering made a rather earlier introduction than he might have expected, going to the right wing in a straight swap.

Just three minutes later, Ebbsfleet were in front.

Gosport looked to be dealing comfortably with Kedwell's low cross from the left until Lewis darted in front of Sam Pearce, who clipped his ankles attempting to win the ball.

Kedwell smashed the penalty to Legg's right, with the keeper diving the other way.

Ashmore looked positive between the posts for Ebbsfleet. He caught a Gosport cross and immediately threw the ball out to Deering, who sped down the right and tested Legg with a low shot.

Tom Bonner, on the stretch, headed wide from a left-wing Lewis corner before the Fleet doubled their lead midway through the first half.

Kissock hit a shot from the right-hand side of the box and a deflection carried it inside the far post, with the midfielder wheeling away to claim the goal before jumping into his manager's arms, pursued by his team-mates.

Having waited seven months for his first Fleet goal, this was Kissock's second in four days.

At the other end, Ashmore passed his first real test by diving low to keep Barker's shot out of the bottom corner.

But the goalkeeper must have breathed a sigh of relief moments later when his clearance hit Rory Williams and looped high over his head for what would have been the most bizarre of goals. Fortunately for Ashmore, the ball spun his way and he was able to grab it before it bounced over the line.

Ashmore then got a strong hand to Barker's close-range effort after a cross from the Borough left had caused some consternation in the Ebbsfleet six-yard box.

The home side finished the half strongly. Lewis crossed from the right and Ryan Woodford almost sliced the ball into his own net before Deering drilled a powerful shot straight at Legg from 30 yards.

Aaron McLean burst into the box down the right-hand side and shot low across Legg but his effort rolled narrowly wide of the far post.

A lovely Deering pass at the start of the second half sent McLean running in behind the Gosport defence. He cut the ball back for Kedwell, whose shot ballooned over the bar.

But it needed another good save by Ashmore to keep the score at 2-0, the Fleet's new man getting down well to deny Barker again after some uncertain defending had allowed the winger a pop at goal from no more than 10 yards.

Gosport dominated possession for a while without breaking down a resolute Ebbsfleet defence, which was well protected by Lewis and Dean Rance with Deering a decent outlet.

Van den Bogaert got forward down the Fleet left and crossed for McLean, who turned but couldn't get his shot away.

Kissock climbed well to meet a Joe Howe cross from the right and saw his header drop just wide of the far post.

Bennett and Ben Harding shot over for Gosport, who looked a spent force in the closing stages. It was to the credit of Fleet centre-halves Bonner and Anthony Acheampong and that the prolific Bennett's only shot all afternoon came from outside the penalty area.

Charlie Sheringham should have made it 3-0 late on after coming off the bench. Kedwell's ball over the top sent him clean through on goal but Sheringham, who lifted the ball over Legg, watched it drop the wrong side of the post.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Howe, van den Bogaert, Lewis, Acheampong, Bonner, Rance, Godden (Deering 11mins), Kedwell, McLean (Sheringham 87mins), Kissock. Subs not used: Clark, Miles, Parkes.

Gosport: Legg, Cuthbertson, Poate, Carter, Pearce, Woodford, Barker (Wilde 80mins), Harding, Williams, Bennett, Wooden (Jerrard 84mins). Subs not used: Ryan, Brice, May.

Attendance: 932.