Ebbsfleet striker Alex Reid wants caretaker boss Kevin Watson to get the job on a permanent basis.

Watson took over when Garry Hill was sacked a fortnight ago but has failed to win either of his first two games in charge, despite a marked improvement in the brand of football on show.

Reid claimed that the squad are fully behind Watson - and are enjoying life again on and off the field after a troubled start to the campaign.

"I think I speak for all of the lads, it’s been a breath of fresh air really," said Reid.

"He’s changed things a little bit, he’s given a new lease of life to the lads and we’re all desperate to pay him back with a win.

"We want him and (assistant) Tristan (Lewis) to keep the job really. The way we’ve been training has been class, it’s been intense. The way he wants to get us playing is quality as well.

"All of the lads have taken to him, from talking to everyone we’re all buzzing, loving training and thinking things are being done properly.

"We just need that bit of luck to get that result and, going forward with Kev and Tristan, I think we will get where we need to be in the league.

"Kevin has got training sharper and it’s translated into the games, a lot of the fans would say we’re playing a lot better football, 90 per cent of the time.

"It’s just getting that one result which will send all the fans home happy."

Reid returned to the squad for Saturday's FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw with Woking.

Watson used him as a central striker and it paid immediate dividends as the on-loan Stevenage man scored his fourth goal of the campaign.

"It wasn’t explained to me when I came in," said Reid, when asked if he knew Hill would be deploying him in a deeper role.

"When I was getting goals from the left I wasn’t too bothered about it, but I was doing more of a shift as a left-back than where I want to play through the middle.

"As a natural goalscorer you look down the pitch and I’m miles away from the goal.

"I want to be where I am familiar, where I think I am at my best, and where I can help the team the most.

"That’s my preferred position. I know a lot of the time here I’ve been featuring left-midfield or left of a three but obviously I came here as a striker.

"That’s where I want to play and that’s where I want to score goals so long may it continue."

• Watson gutted by late goal
• KentOnline team-of-the-week

Reid is confident heading into Tuesday night's replay at Woking after the Fleet came within minutes of going through at the first attempt on Saturday.

A stoppage-time penalty saw Woking level matters at Stonebridge Road and Reid is keen to make amends second time around.

"It feels like a bit of a loss but, as the gaffer said, we’ll just pull ourselves together and go again on Tuesday," said Reid.

"That’s two games against Woking now and two goals so hopefully it will be three in three on Tuesday.

"We’re confident. We think we could have put the game to bed at 1-0, even Lawrie (Wilson’s) chance in the first half. It’s just small margins that we need to brush up on, once we get there.

"The coaching staff that has come in now are complementing us, they are letting us play the way we want to play.

"But it's literally sometimes just being a bit horrible in those last two minutes and kicking it into Row Z, kicking it out of the stadium just to grind out a 1-0 win."

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent