London City Lionesses’ extra firepower proved the difference as they came from behind to defeat Ebbsfleet at Maidstone’s Gallagher stadium.

An action-packed 80 minutes saw plenty of goals and excellent football from both sides.

“The girls were phenomenal,” said London City manager Cori Daniels. “We wanted to play, we didn’t want to get into a physical battle.

“The girls executed it perfectly, they were brilliant. We want to connect passes and the girls did that magnificently well.

“We know if we build and connect passes that we will finish because we’ve got decent strikers and we’ve got girls who can finish the chances that we create.

“We know with the formation that we play that we are a little bit exposed at the back and we trust our defenders with our one against one excellence.

“They scored two goals but we defended incredibly well.”

Ebbsfleet took the lead on 12 minutes when Rebecca Elsley’s ball over the top set up Amelia Woodgate to lob the onrushing keeper.

It was the Fleet who settled quickest but a triple substitution midway through the first half halted their momentum.

The equaliser arrived on 23 minutes and sparked three goals in the space of six minutes to turn the tie on its head.

Romilly Evans finished smartly before Millie Rayner swept in Lois Shooter’s cross and then Rayner netted again, a lovely first touch creating space in the penalty area before she slotted home.

Shooter hit the woodwork from the edge of the box as London got on top, the same player then shot weakly at the keeper when ignoring better options in the box after a terrific run down the run.

Player-of-the-match Macy Arnott pulled the strings from midfield for London while skipper Libby Homes read the game brilliantly at their back.

Their domination continued into the second half. It was 4-1 on 54 minutes, Shaniya Sood’s 20-yard shot sneaking over the line.

Ebbsfleet pulled one back when Woodgate’s neat finish converted Tochi Davids’ excellent run and cross down the right.

London restored their three-goal advantage with the goal of the game from Shooter, a stunning 20-yard left-foot curler from a difficult angle sailing into the top corner.

Ebbsfleet’s Ellie George had an excellent finish ruled out for offside before London added two more goals late on. Fleet keeper Amelia Cooper’s throw-out was collected by London's Lottie Cunningham, who immediately fired the ball home from distance.

Then, with seven minutes left, Cunningham slipped past two defenders and rounded the keeper before slotting home.

It could have been worse but for a brave save by Cooper at the death, collecting the ball at the feet of Cunningham, who was eyeing up a hat-trick.

Ebbsfleet United: Amelia Cooper, Didi Lloyd, Neriah Rei-Acosta, Neve Morgan, Holly Theobald, Juliette Blyghton, Ellie George, Rebecca Elsley, Madison Woodgate, Ruby Smith, Amelia Woodgate, Avangeline Mountford, Ruby Juniper-Hussey, Rose Boichat, Tochi Davids, Ruby Wignall.

London City Lionesses: Emily Robinson, Emily Vennard, Evie Northwood, Libby Homes, Holly MacLaurin, Macy Arnott, Lottie Cunningham, Lois Shooter, Millie Rayner, Shaniya Sood, Romilly Evans, Daniella Schmith De Menezes, Aimee Molinari.

Referee: Clair Phelps.