A first-half onslaught left Wealdstone staring defeat in the face as they went down 4-1 at Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

Trailing 3-0 at the break, Gordon Bartlett's side made a game of it after the break when Elliot Benyon grabbed his routine goal, but Anthony Cook extinguished any hope of a comeback late on.

By that time, Jack Powell, former Gillingham midfielder Danny Kedwell and Mark Phillips had given the hosts a commanding half-time lead, to inflict the Stones' first away defeat of the campaign.

Bartlett fielded the same side that had finished at Weston on Monday night, but had to defend an early chance from Kedwell, whose header was well saved by Jonathan North.

The hosts took the lead 18 minute sin, when a free-kick cleared by Koroma fell to Powell on the edge of the box, and after taking a touch he smashed the ball beyond North.

Kedwell grabbed one for himself soon after when allowed time to take a touch inside the box and slot the ball home, and just before the half-hour mark it shuold have been game over.

Dean Rance was brought down by Sam Deering inside the box, but North produced a superb penalty save to keep Wealdstone two behind.

That reprise was shortlived, however, when Phillips stepped up to head in from a Powell corner not long before the break.

Wealdstone improved after some stern words from Barlett at half-time, and Benyon grabbed his eighth goal of the season after new boy Sam Cox had played him in over the top.

Danny Green threatened to make a game of it but could only head wide from a corner, but Cook sealed the win when his cross looped beyond North to restore their three-goal advantage.

Wealdstone: North, Smith (Godfrey 26), Brown, McLeod-Uruqhart, Hamblin (c) (McGleish 64), Wellard, Cox, Green, Benyon, Whichelow (Kabba 79), Koroma.

Unused: Williams, Hutchinson.