Ebbsfleet hit the woodwork three times during their narrow National League South win over Chelmsford on Tuesday night.

The Fleet made it three wins out of three at the start of the season thanks to a moment of magic from summer recruit Josh Coley with his first goal for the club.

Ebbsfleet made three changes from the side that beat Chippenham last weekend.

With Ben Coker injured, Toby Edser came into the starting XI along with Josh Passley and Kwesi Appiah.

The latter only lasted 17 minutes before injury forced him off with Saturday’s matchwinner Aaron Cosgrave introduced.

Chelmsford adopted a high press and gave the Fleet little time to settle. The visitors were marginally on top, an early shot was blocked and Ricky Holmes shot over when offered space on the edge of the box.

For all their possession, Chelmsford didn’t really force keeper Mark Cousins into serious action and, slowly but surely, Ebbsfleet got stronger as the half went on.

Defender Joe Grimwood was booked for hauling down Coley to stop a quick Fleet counter before George Moncur’s 20-yard shot was comfortably saved by former Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Chris Haigh.

Edser grew into the contest and showed excellent footwork to drive forward away from Taylor Clark, exchanging passes and again calling Haigh into action from the edge of the area.

The midfielder’s corners were also looking dangerous but it was one moment of quality that broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time.

Ben Chapman, Edser and Moncur worked the ball from right to left, picking out Coley who worked himself space and curled a delightful right-foot shot into the far corner.

Coley was booked for a foul early in the second half as Chelmsford looked for an immediate response.

The driving runs of Edser were a feature of the evening and referee Steven Hughes was reaching for the yellow card when Dom Odusanya upended him on the edge of the area. Moncur’s free-kick could only find the defensive wall.

Ebbsfleet nearly had a second goal on the hour. Cosgrave’s pace saw him keep the ball in and then drive into the penalty area. He picked out the onrushing Edser, whose fierce drive came back off the underside of the crossbar.

Chelmsford changed formation in a bid to change their fortune. Substitute Shiloh Remy was almost played through but Mustapha Olagunju got back in time to keep the visitors at bay.

Ebbsfleet hit the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds with 13 minutes left. Chapman set up Cosgrave, whose right-foot shot came back off the post. It fell for substitute Gene Kennedy, whose effort then hit the same upright.

The Fleet wasted another chance to wrap the points up with three minutes left when Cosgrave picked out Kennedy, but he fired over from just inside the penalty box.

Chelmsford had a stoppage-time free-kick that went harmlessly over and despite pushing bodies forward at the death they never looked like becoming the first team to score against the Fleet this season.

Ebbsfleet: Cousins, Olagunju, Ehmer, Dallison, Passley, Hessenthaler, Edser, Moncur (Kennedy 72mins), Chapman, Appiah (Cosgrave 17mins), Coley (Samuel 82mins). Subs not used: Bellagambi, Seaman, Fielding, Peake.

Chelmsford: Haigh, Ronan, Barbrook, Grimwood (Remy 59mins), Lodge-King, Odusanya, Holmes (Castiglione 46mins), Kudiabor, Clark (Tamplin 78mins), Tompkins, Barham (Corbett 73mins). Subs not used: Eastwood, Hedges, Hayes.

Referee: Steven Hughes.

Attendance: 1,636 (279 away).