Sean Shields hopes the unpredictable nature of the National League could play into Ebbsfleet’s hands.

The division is wide open with almost half the season gone and no side has lost fewer games than Fleet, who are right in the mix.

Winger Shields believes the four games in 10 days over the festive period could be particularly important.

He said: “It’s a hard league to predict each week. If you were trying to say who you think would win each game, you’d probably end up getting it wrong most weeks.

“It still hasn’t settled down, which could be a bonus from our point of view because as a new team coming into it, the promotion spots are up for grabs.

“Who knows what can happen at the end of the season? If you go on any sort of run in this league, you can be right up there.

“We’re focused on having a good Christmas schedule, training well, getting points in the games we play and who knows where it can take us going into the new year?”