Ebbsfleet staged a stirring second-half comeback to rescue a point in National League South on Saturday.

Manager Harry Watling looked to be heading for a fourth straight defeat in charge but two goals in three second-half minutes was enough to claim, what appeared after an hour, an unlikely point.

Ebbsfleet, as they did against Oldham, set up to keep themselves in the game in the first half. But, unlike last week, they trailed 2-0 at the break after a first half dominated both in possession and territory by Rochdale.

Ebbsfleet failed to register an attempt on target, the closest they came was a Craig Tanner free-kick from nearly 30 yards which hit the defensive wall.

At the other end, Rochdale were slick and decisive although it took them 13 minutes to test keeper Mark Cousins who did well to keep out Jake Burger’s hooked effort after quick thinking from Connor McBride at a throw-in.

Leon Aykinde then turned Tanner in midfield and played in Kairo Mitchell but he slid his left-foot shot wide of the far post.

Rochdale went ahead on 37 minutes, the excellent McBridge driving across the penalty area before setting up Tarrayn Allarakhia, who found the top corner with a stunning right-foot shot.

Ebbsfleet’s task became even harder on the stroke of half-time. They gifted Rochdale the ball when Tom Dallison got into a muddle from a short goal kick, the ball eventually being recycled to McBride to slot decisively beyond Cousins.

Manager Harry Watling made a double change at the break with Rakish Bingham and Sha’mar Lawson replacing Dominic Poleon and Greg Cundle.

While the Fleet stemmed the wave of attacks from the visitors they didn’t look like getting back into the game until a moment of brilliance from Ben Chapman.

An error at the back gifted Chapman the ball near halfway on 64 minutes, the midfielder striding forward before shooting from 45 yards to catch out retreating keeper David Robson.

Then two minutes later, Franklin Domi was tripped in the box by Kyron Gordon and referee Wayne Cartmel pointed to the spot. Bingham stepped up to drill home the spot-kick and make it 2-2.

Suddenly, the momentum had shifted and it was Ebbsfleet who looked like the team in the play-off places.

There was nearly another twist in the 89th minute when keeper Robson failed to clear just outside his box and Jephte Tanga’s follow-up was blocked with the goal again vacated.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, Kane, John, Dallison, Domi, Chapman (Randall 87mins), Wright, Tanner (Wakely 90mins), Tanga, Cundle (Lawson 46mins), Poleon (Bingham 46mins). Subs not used: Berry, Olagunju, Anthony.

Rochdale: Robson, Gordon, East, Allarakhia (Henderson 83mins), Mitchell, Adebayo-Rowling, Ayinde (Armstrong 59mins), Ferguson (Hogan 78mins), Burger, McBride (Henry 88mins), Beckwith. Subs not used: Kelly, Senior, Barlow.

Referee: Wayne Cartmel.

Attendance: 1,452.