Ebbsfleet knocked Maidstone off the top of National League South with victory at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday night.

Defender Camron Gbadebo gave the visitors an early lead in front of a crowd of almost 3,000 and Daniel Ogunleye made it two in the second half.

Substitute Jayden Davis gave the Stones late hope but Harvey Walker added an injury-time third as Fleet moved above Maidstone at the league summit.

Stones midfielder Riley Court bent an early 20-yard free-kick narrowly wide after being chopped down by Fleet captain James Vennings.

But it was Fleet who made the better start, looking assured in possession and moving the ball well, with Josh Passley and Ben Chapman - making his 250th appearance for the club - combining effectively down the right.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 10th minute.

Lennon Peake sent the ball into the box from a corner and it reached Chapman whose fierce volley from the edge of the area was parried by Lenny Holden into the path of Gbadebo.

Ebbsfleet, still unbeaten after playing catch-up following the postponement of their first six games, looked well-drilled, offering Maidstone little space to work.

But they were forced into an error when Tom Leahy charged down an attempted clearance from Will Tizzard, with Will Buse out of his goal, but the ball ran out of legs in the six-yard box.

There were blocked shots at either end within the space of a few seconds - Chapman for Fleet at one end and Ken Charles for the Stones, while the hosts’ best chance of the half saw Nana Boateng head over when well placed from a George Fowler cross.

Shortly before the break, Court drilled an effort just wide after space opened up to shoot from outside the box.

Maidstone made a double change at the break, with Dermi Lusala and Alex Stepien-Iwumene on for Frankie Hvid and Leone Gravata.

The change allowed Maidstone to push Court further forward and he immediately saw an effort blocked after Leahy won the knockdown from a Leo Hamblin cross.

Minutes later, Fowler’s looping header from a Court free-kick was touched on to the bar by Buse.

Maidstone seemed to be playing with more belief, with Fleet looking happy to defend their lead and play on the counter.

But a potentially killer blow arrived in the 67th minute when Ogunleye was played in on goal and emphatically beat Holden.

Maidstone had a big chance to pull one back when Davis sent Leahy through one-on-one but the Stones forward went near post rather than across the keeper and Buse saved.

But they were back in business in the 83rd minute when substitute Davis raced through and fired past Buse for his first Stones goal.

Davis’ strike set up a big finish and they pushed hard in the closing stages, roared on by Genco Stand.

But Fleet picked them off on the counter-attack in the third minute of added time as Walker - just on as a substitute - beat Stepien-Iwueme to the ball and made no mistake after bearing down on goal.

Maidstone: Holden, Fowler, Hvid (Lusala 46mins), Foran, Hamblin, Hanson, Court (Leech 66mins), Boateng (Boruk 83mins), Leahy, Gravata (Stepien-Iwumene 46mins), Charles (Davis 66mins). Subs not used: Brookman, Uwakwe.

Ebbsfleet: Buse, Passley, Gbadebo, Tizzard, Vokins (Walker 90+2mins), Chapman, Vennings, Kennedy, Edser (Hessenthaler 68mins), Peake (Seaman 72mins), Ogunleye (Samuel 76mins). Subs not used: Box, Barnes, Manktelow.

Referee: Joe Woolmer.

Attendance: 2,943.