Few Ebbsfleet fans would have picked Luke O’Neill to be their second-top goalscorer as they enter the final two months of the campaign.

But that’s exactly what’s happened as the 32-year-old former Gillingham defender is enjoying his best-ever season in front of goal.

O’Neill’s terrific 20-yard free-kick in last Saturday’s 4-1 win at Dorking Wanderers took his tally for the season to six. The previous five had all come from corners.

“I’m pleased with it,” beamed O’Neill. “The most important thing is three points, but chipping in with goals is an extra bonus.

“I believe in myself and fancy myself from set-pieces so long may it continue.

“I felt like I was going to score. Me and Rakish Bingham were talking and I said I fancied it.

“There was a little gap and to be honest the goalkeeper isn’t the biggest so I thought I’d put it in the far stick. It was too close to probably go up and over.

“I’ve been due a free-kick, to be fair, I’ve scored a few in my career and it’s been frustrating recently.”

When asked if he’s got sights on double figures, O’Neill said: “I should have a few more already. I’m sure I’ll score a few more!

“I’m the second-top scorer. The gaffer’s had a bit of banter about it, to be fair, so I’ve had to point that out.”

The Dorking win was a third successive victory for the Fleet, all against teams in the bottom half of the table. But where their opponents sit in the standings doesn’t make those victories any bigger, according to O’Neill.

“Every game is important, to be honest now, especially coming to the back end of the season,” he added.

“We need to pick up as many points as we can. We’ve done brilliantly over the last five games, we’ve been outstanding, but we need to kick on again and keep pushing.

“We can’t sit back and think we’ve completed it because we haven’t - we need to keep winning.

“The feel in the camp at the minute is through the roof so we need to continue that and keep playing well. If we drop our levels then we’re going to drop points.

“Myself being an experienced pro, I felt that I had to step up and I feel that I’ve done that.”