‘We’ll still fight for the title’ – Collins defiant after Hawks’ National League South automatic promotion hopes were dealt a hammer blow at favourites Ebbsfleet

Paul Doswell’s men are now 13 points adrift of the table-topping Fleet, with just one game in hand.

Dominic Poleon put the hosts ahead in the first half with his 20th league goal of the season. He remains the joint top scorer in the division, alongside St Albans’ Shaun Jeffers.

After Rakish Bingham saw a penalty saved by Hawks loanee keeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Fleet sealed victory through Franklin Domi late on.

It was Fleet’s sixth successive league win and they are now eight points clear of Dartford, with a game in hand.

Third-placed Hawks are five points behind the Darts, and have two games in hand.

Hawks player-coach Jamie Collins was trying to remain positive after his side’s second away league loss in five days.

They had previously seen their unbeaten away run ended at Taunton last Tuesday, on a night where Joash Nembhard and Danny Wright were sent off.

Collins told the Hawks You-Tube channel: ‘We are not going to stop trying win it. We will still fight for the title.

‘We came here full of confidence, knowing we had to win the game, and we didn’t.

‘It was a bit like a basketball game, end to end. They scored their two big chances and we didn’t. They were better than us in both boxes and when that happens you’ll normally lose.

‘Their keeper (Mark Cousins) was their man of the match, but on the flipside Teddy has probably got man of the match for us.’

Hawks fans received a pre-match shock when it was announced Jason Prior had returned to Dorking Wanderers.

It was the second high-profile departure from Westleigh Park in a fortnight, after midfielder Billy Cliford had been released - subsequently joining Ebbsfleet.

Prior went straight into the Dorking starting XI, but was unable to prevent Wanderers losing 2-0 at Aldershot, their fourth straight National League defeat.

Hawks could now be in the market for a new striker with Wright starting a suspension when Chelmsford visit next weekend.

There was good news for Hawks, though, at AFC Totton where on-loan striker Tommy Wright scored twice in a 4-1 Southern League win over Bristol Manor Farm.

The Stags are now nine points behind leaders Sholing with three games in hand - setting up Tuesday’s derby at Sholing very nicely indeed.