A frantic match saw 10-man Ebbsfleet beat goalkeeper-less St Albans City on Tuesday in National League South to go four points clear at the top.

The Fleet were already 2-0 ahead through efforts from Haydn Hollis and Dominic Poleon before the away side lost goalkeeper Michael Johnson to injury - with no natural replacement on the bench - and another injury not long after saw another St Albans player hobble off.

Top scorer Poleon added a third before half-time and, despite a poor second period for Ebbsfleet which saw Shaun Jeffers score for the plucky Saints and Ebbsfleet’s Ben Chapman controversially sent off, Fleet held on to win 3-1.

Both teams created half-chances at Stonebridge Road in front of a crowd of 1,145 inside a lively first four minutes. Attacking midfielder Zane Banton whipped in a left-wing cross for the visitors which evaded everyone before a St Albans defender charged down Kieran Monlouis' effort.

Four minutes later, Ebbsfleet’s Chapman went for a spectacular overhead kick, only to see his effort hit the side-netting.

More good play in the 10th minute down the home side’s right saw the ball eventually come to Luke O’Neill. He forced Johnson to make a smart save.

Craig Tanner’s in-swinging corner tested the away defence next on 15 minutes, as the ball agonisingly went beyond everyone.

The Saints looked dangerous at times themselves, though. Kyran Wiltshire forced a fairly simple save from Fleet keeper Mark Cousins in the 21st minute.

But just three minutes later, Dennis Kutrieb’s men went ahead. Hollis rose highest to flick home another sublime in-swinging Tanner corner for his first competitive goal for the club.

The 28th minute saw a controversial moment as Chapman went to ground, only for referee Abigail Byrne to wave away the penalty protests.

But seconds later, the former Faversham and Gillingham man fired across a dangerous left-wing cross and top scorer Poleon blasted home from close range to make it 2-0.

St Albans still appeared to be carrying a threat, though, and Jeffers - a threat Fleet manager Kutrieb had highlighted in the build-up to the match - curled an effort narrowly over.

An extraordinary few minutes then followed before half-time.

Firstly, away keeper Johnson went down after he failed to make a proper connection on a corner in the 40th minute as he attempted to punch clear. After a delay, he hobbled off and was replaced by Munashe Sundire while 18-year-old midfielder Huw Dawson stepped up and went between the sticks for St Albans.

That was a strange enough event in itself but, as soon as play got back under way, away defender Michael Clark went down. He also left the pitch with his shirt helping protect his shoulder and his replacement was Mackye Townsend-West.

There was six minutes of first-half stoppage time, which Fleet used to their advantage. Birthday boy Rakish Bingham crossed for strike partner Poleon who sliced his second - Ebbsfleet’s third - in for goal number 14 of the season.

You’d have been forgiven for expecting it to go all the Kent club’s way after the restart and indeed, inside a minute, Monlouis hit the crossbar from Chapman’s cutback.

The 50th minute saw Tanner try his luck, only to be thwarted by makeshift goalkeeper Dawson.

But Tafari Moore cut in off the left for the visitors, themselves just outside the play-offs in 10th, with 56 minutes played before he bent an effort over the crossbar.

The action became a bit pedestrian at this stage with St Albans enjoying a spell on the attack and a first Fleet substitution saw Toby Edser replace Monlouis, aiming to inject some energy back into their side.

But it didn’t really seem to make much of an impact and Jeffers pulled a goal back on 69 minutes, much to the frustration of the home contingent.

Those same Fleet fans were then left bemused by the decision to bring on Shaq Coulthrist for the impressive Tanner for the latter stages.

With 13 minutes to go, Chapman went down under a challenge. It looked to be a spot-kick but, instead, he received a second yellow card for simulation.

The Saints dominated as they looked to set up a grandstand finish, however they couldn’t find a second. But the final 3-1 scoreline did mean Dawson managed to keep a second-half clean sheet.

The hosts had made three changes to their starting line-up. Midfielders Monlouis and Chapman, alongside defender Sido Jombati, replaced Edser and Greg Cundle who were on the bench, while the experienced Chris Solly missed out altogether.

There was also a place on the bench for centre-back Alex Finney, albeit he was an unused substitute, and Bingham was handed his latest start on his 29th birthday.

The visitors named an unchanged team.

With second-placed Havant not back in league action until the following day, Ebbsfleet extended their advantage at the summit, although, with Dartford also winning on Tuesday, they lead the chasing pack for now.

When the sides last met at Stonebridge Road in February, Ebbsfleet were 5-0 victors.

Ebbsfleet United: Cousins, O’Neill, Jombati, Hollis, Chapman, Monlouis (Edser 63mins), N’Guessan, Sterling-James, Tanner (Coulthrist 74mins), Poleon (Cundle 83mins), Bingham. Subs not used: McQueen, Finney.

St Albans City: Johnson (Sundire 42mins), Stanley, Wiltshire, Adebiyi, Clark (Townsend-West 45mins), Jeffers, Banton, Dawson, Mukena, Moore, Neal (Weiss 68mins). Subs not used: Isaac, Morrall.

Referee: Abigail Byrne.

Attendance: 1,145.