Andy Peaks' Lambs made the trip into Kent to Stonebridge Road for the first time since April 2013, to take on the Josh Wright’s Vanarama National League bottom club who were in a poor run of form with no win in the last 25 league games and a goal difference of -50.
With George Morrison suspended (the first of two games for accruing ten yellow cards), Peaks made a couple of changes to the eleven that drew 1-1 with Rochdale in midweek. Arjan Raikhy made his first full appearance, and Ben Milnes came back into the line-up.
Tamworth got the game underway, attacking the covered end of the ground, away from the travelling support behind them on the open terrace, bathed in sunshine.
The Lambs kept the home defence penned back in the opening couple of minutes and Tonks sent a long throw from the left into the area but an offside flag halted the momentum.
After an earlier tackle which left the Ebbsfleet player hobbling, Cosgrave went down again on 6 needing treatment off the field and he came back on as The Lambs were awarded a freekick in the right channel for deliberate handball but a clattering jump from Creaney gave the home side possession back.
Play stopped again when Raikhy was penalised with a booking for a challenge on Passley in the centre circle on 10, and Dallison was also booked for comments made afterwards.
Digie was forced to head a left wing cross from Moncur behind for a left sided flagkick on 15 and it caused problems in the six yard box until Cockerill-Mollett booted it away.
Samuel then found time to strike low from 20 yards after good work from Domi to get the ball in from the left but his shot went wide of the post.
Passley was booked for pulling the shirt of Maher as he nodded the ball past him and tried to go around him, and Milnes freekick found former United player Hollis but his header went over Cousins goal.
Momentum seemed to be moving in The Lambs direction midway through the half, but play had to be stopped when Tonks went for a 50/50 ball outside Cousins area and came off second best, forcing him off the field temporarily and there was a flurry of activity on the Tamworth bench just in case.
He was OK to continue, but it was the home side who took the initiative and when Moncur found space in the middle 25 yards out he unleashed an unstoppable right footed strike which flew past Singh to the keeper’s right to give United the lead (1-0, 27 mins)
The Lambs attacked from restart and Creaney tried to force home a Tonks throw from 6 yards, but Cousins was able to smother it.
As the first half minutes ticked on Tamworth were increasingly frustrated by the home defence but an equaliser came on 39 when Cockerill-Mollett whipped the ball in from the left and Creaney diverted his header past Cousins into the far corner (1-1, 39 mins)
And it was 2-1 on 41 when Creaney picked the ball up in the central right channel and lifted a drop shot over the keeper into the far corner to the delight of the travelling faithful (1-2, 41 mins)
There was a quick third two minutes later, when a long Tonks throw from the left flicked off defensive head of Ebbsfleet’s Bolger and it bounced past Cousins into the far corner (1-3, 43 mins)
Five minutes added time was shown to finish the half, and Milnes corner on the right eventually came to Digie but his angled left footed strike from the left of the penalty spot skipped out past the right hand upright before the whistle blew.

HT: 1-3

Sundire replaced Raikhy before the home side restarted the game and Tonks made way for Fletcher a few minutes later as Tamworth went in search of a fourth which nearly came on 50 when Milnes sent a freekick into the box which was headed over the bar by the Ebbsfleet defence for a corner on the right and Maher’s ball in was headed away, as was his return.
A ‘Fleet corner on 54 saw the Lambs forced to defend some home pressure, and another was conceded on the opposite side on 56 which Stewart glanced wide of the far post.
Moncur got the better of Hollis on 57 and feed it to Edser but Singh was well positioned to drop and deny his low shot from 12 yards, and at the other end Maher stuck powerfully from 18 yards, but it was blocked by the body of Edser.
A similar strike from Samuel on 61 cannoned off The Lambs defence for another flagkick which Creaney turned behind for another which Dallison headed on and out well wide of the far post.
When Domi brought Crompton down on the right wing on 64 it gave Maher the freekick and it came out to Milnes who struck from 20 yards with a deflection taking it over the bar for a corner on the left which Cousins punched away.
Ebbsfleet worked the ball down the left and into the centre for Samuel to strike on target on 68 but he found Cockerill-Mollett in the way to prevent it reaching Singh.
Finn replaced McGlinchey with just under 20 remaining and the home side got one back on 73 when Moncur pulled the ball back from the right of the area and it caught the toes of Hollis to take it past Singh and reduce the arrears (2-3, 73 mins)
This gave United some unexpected impetus with Harriott firing high and wide from the left on 76 but The Lambs responded similarly, with Finn being upended on 78 by Bolger who was booked for his efforts and Maher forced Cousins into a near post parry of the resulting freekick.
Maher’s corner was booted out of the ground, so Sundire took the throw and Finn struck a powerful effort which caught Thomas and the player went down, resulting in a drop ball.
Thomas was allowed back on to the field before a freekick shortly after which Samuel leapt to head well wide of the mark and he was replaced as the home side used all of their permitted substitutions with four minutes remaining.
Milnes curled a shot into the grasp of Cousins on 88, but the home side had more of the play as the seconds ticked down and a freekick to the right of the D, 25 yards out on 90 set up Moncur to strike straight at Singh as five minutes added time was shown.
Enoru replaced Maher in added time and Milnes was caught by Dallison without a booking on the halfway line as Fleet tried to pile on some late pressure, but Enoru was then caught by Stewart who did go in the referee's notebook.
There was time for Chapman to load a freekick into the area from the right but instead he went short to Harriott and the resulting cross was easy for Singh to catch at his near post before the final whistle blew on a three point haul for The Lambs.

Ebbsfleet United:
Cousins, Passley (Chapman 86), Moncur, Samuel (Bingham 86), Domi (Thomas 69), Edser, Lankshear, Dallison, Bolger (Manktelow 81), Cosgrave (Harriott 69), Stewart
Subs: Page, Bingham, Carr, Chapman
YC: Dallison 11, Passley 17, Bolger 78, Stewart 90+4
RC: (none)

Tamworth:
Singh, Cockerill-Mollett, Tonks (Fletcher 49), Digie, Milnes, Creaney, McGlinchey (Finn 71), Hollis, Maher (Enoru 90+2), Crompton, Raikhy (Sundire HT)
Subs: Cullinane-Liburd. Tshikuna, Ponticelli
YC: Raikhy 11
RC: (none)

Referee: Mr. Callum Winchester
Assistants: Mr. Ciaran Fidler, Mr. Peter Lowe
4th Official: Mr. Nathan Oakes

Attendance: 1322 (94 TFC)