Ebbsfleet’s upturn in form has coincided with Ben Chapman’s best run of games for nearly two years.

The hard-working 25-year-old has started the last eight league matches - including all six under new boss Danny Searle - and has been one of many Fleet players to produce their best displays for some time.

Searle has clearly made a favourable impression on the squad and, given that level of backing, it’s little surprise that Chapman has been impressed.

“He’s come in and given us the confidence to trust our own ability,” said Chapman. “The foundations were already there, we’ve just got to believe in ourselves.

“You see it in all different levels, a new manager comes in and sometimes it just clicks. Danny has come in and given us a new lease of life, he’s backing us and when you get that one win it has got a domino effect.

“The belief was what we were missing and now we’ve got it. He puts trust and confidence in me. It’s nice to get a constant run of games and I’m doing my best to keep that position.

“Everyone is fighting for those places in training as we all want to be in that starting XI, so the training intensity has also gone up and everyone’s working hard.”

Indeed, Chapman has not enjoyed a consistent run of matches in the side since he played 20 games in a row to finish off the 2021/22 season - a campaign that deservedly saw him named Ebbsfleet’s player-of-the-year.

He was in and out of the side during their title-winning campaign but has shown he’s got the ability to perform at National League level.

“When you come in and out, it’s harder to keep that run of form as you’re playing one week, then you’re coming on or whatever it was,” he added.

“That’s football for you but when you’re playing constantly you get the confidence and the match fitness. Once you get past five games you come into your own and get better and better, I think.”

For a player widely described as a ‘utility man’, it’s surprising that Chapman hasn’t really featured that much during his career on the right.

But that’s where he’s found himself under Searle since the first-half formation switch at Chesterfield. Chapman marked that game with a goal and believes that helped kick-start their current form.

“Maybe I’m better off on the right to score a few goals!” joked Chapman. “It wasn’t just the strike, it was the importance of the goal as we got a draw at Chesterfield, who are unbeaten at home.

“The game could have gone either way with the chances that we had but I feel that was the start and [gave us] the belief that we can crack on and get ourselves in a good position.

“I’m playing on the right rather than the left so it’s something new. Saturday against Rochdale was the day when things started to click for me, when you’re on the left it’s a lot different.

“I know it sounds silly but it is. People would say what do you mean but little things like when you receive the ball, you’re in a different body shape, or facing someone one-on-one.

“I haven’t really played much on the right before now - when you’re on the left you receive the ball on the outside of your right foot, on the right you receive it on your back foot so it’s learning what works for you.

“I’m really enjoying it and feel that week by week, not just me but as a team, we’re getting better and being resilient.

“We’re not conceding as many goals and we’re looking a force going forward. We can play some lovely football but can go long - clever long - when we have to. We’ve got the full arsenal.”

Despite posting four successive wins, Ebbsfleet head to Aldershot on Tuesday night dangerously close to the National League relegation zone.

Chapman isn’t worried by what’s going on around them, though.

“I try not to look,” he insisted. “All we can do is win our games and whatever happens, happens. As long as we give our all, which we are - everyone is working hard on and off the pitch.

“The subs that are coming on are making a change, like Dominic Samuel at the weekend, and we’re getting the rewards.

“It’s so hard when you’ve got a big squad and everyone is at such a high level. It’s hard when you’re winning as you don’t change it too much, you want to keep a winning formula. Personally, I don’t look around us, all we can do is win games.”