Jamie Day's first game in charge of Ebbsfleet United ended in a shock home defeat.

A goal from Ollie Watkins fired struggling Weston-super-Mare to victory at the PHB Stadium and the Fleet never looked like getting back in the game after going behind in the 71st minute.

They had good chances in the first half but lacked any sort of creativity after the interval.

Day picked a team which bore three changes from the Fleet's 1-1 draw with his former club Welling in the FA Trophy seven days earlier.

Daryl McMahon, having completed his three-match spell as caretaker manager, was back in central midfield while Joe Howe returned at left-back after suspension. Sean Shields, on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge, made his debut on the left wing as part of a 4-2-3-1 formation.

The home side put together a terrific passing move inside the first couple of minutes. The ball was moved quickly and accurately around the edge of the box until it reached Anthony Cook on the right-hand side. He set up Matt Godden for a shot which the visitors did well to block.

Shields then cut in from the left and dragged a shot wide before Billy Bricknell lifted the ball over Tom Jordan's head, only for the Weston skipper to recover his position and block Bricknell's shot.

On-loan Exeter forward Watkins had Weston's first real effort on goal, a floaty effort which drifted harmlessly wide of Brandon Hall's far post.

Shields looked lively every time he got on the ball. The diminutive midfielder played a clever slide-rule pass into McMahon's feet, six yards out, but although he reached the ball ahead of Luke Purnell, the goalkeeper was still able to save.

Some of the sharpness went out of Ebbsfleet's play as the first half wore on but they continued to monopolise possession and carve out the best opportunities.

Cook took up a position wide on the left and whipped over a wicked cross which was just too strong for Godden, arriving late at the far post.

Suddenly, Cook was right in the game. Back on the right wing, he sprinted 50 yards from the halfway line and sent over another cross. Godden and Shields both tried to force the ball home - Godden unsuccessfully claimed for a penalty when he appeared to be shoved - but Weston survived again.

It should have been 1-0 just before the interval when Cook's lofted pass sent Bricknell running in behind the visitors' defence - but Godden missed his kick when Bricknell cut the ball back from the byline.

Watkins led a rapid counter-attack for Weston at the start of the second half but there was no finish to match his run - Watkins rolling the ball tamely into Hal's gloves.

Ebbsfleet took a while to get going after the restart but a brilliant piece of skill by Shields almost created the opening goal. Shields pirouetted on the byline and delivered a cross to the near post which Bricknell almost tucked home.

But with the relegation-threatened visitors packing all 11 men behind the ball at times, it became a frustrating afternoon for the home side and their supporters.

Ebbsfleet couldn't find a way through and then, even worse, they fell behind. The men in red shirts failed to clear their lines and Watkins threaded a shot into the bottom corner with 19 minutes left.

The home side looked totally toothless after that.

Purnell saved from substitute Brendan Kiernan after Godden had got his head to a Chris Sessegnon cross but that was the only effort of any note Day's men registered in the closing stages.

Ebbsfleet: Hall, Sessegnon, Acheampong, Clark, Howe, Rance (Corcoran 75mins), McMahon, Cook (Kiernan 75mins), Godden, Shields, Bricknell. Subs not used: Huke, Hughes, Johnson.

Weston: Purnell, Mitchell, Llewellyn, Cane, Jordan, Fortune, McClennan, Ingram, Jay, Grubb, Watkins. Subs not used: Barnes, Brown, Edge, Ash, Camper.

Attendance: 810.