Harry White’s first league goal for Chester FC earned them a huge three points with a 1-0 success at play-off chasing Ebbsfleet United, who finished the game with 10 men.

White converted against the run of play on 21 minutes to seal the points - and the Blues were full value for them.

If the defeats to Halifax and Guiseley over the festive period were gutless, this was anything but.

Organised and executed superbly, it was a performance full of heart, desire and passion. The task may still be monumental to survive but they will give themselves a chance with more displays of this ilk.

A late leveller for Tranmere at Barrow means Chester, whose success was their first away win since August, are now six points off safety.

Having suffered last-gasp heartbreak in the 1-1 draw at Guiseley, where a 94th-minute strike denied Marcus Bignot’s side all three points, Chester made the long trek to Kent in desperate need of the points in their fight against the drop.

There was just one change to the team that drew at Nethermoor on New Year’s Day with Tom Shaw coming in for John McCombe, and there was a spot on the bench for Ross Hannah who hadn’t featured since the loss to Guiseley on Boxing Day after an injury.

As they did at Guiseley on Monday, Chester set up in a 4-4-2 formation with Andy Halls partnering Ryan Astles in the heart of defence.

The play-off chasing home side started on the front foot and Myles Weston had the first effort of the game on four minutes when he found space 18 yards out and curled an effort straight into Sam Hornby’s midrif.

A Jack Powell free kick two minutes later from the left flank caught Kingsley James off guard and his attempted clearance was scuffed six yards out and almost caught out Hornby who had to be alert to gather.

Ebbsfleet were threatening on every foray forward with experienced striker Danny Kedwell a focal point through the middle and Weston the go-to man on the right flank.

Fleet were pressing and a tame James Akintunde effort from 18 yards was the sum of Chester's efforts in the opening exchanges.

If the opener was to come it seemed as if it would be the home side who would draw first blood.

But against the run of play Akintunde broke free and found White 30 yards out, with the Chester striker looking up to see Fleet keeper Nathan Ashmore well off his line and back-peddling.

White curled a low effort that found its way past a stranded Ashmore and into the back of the net.

The goal shocked the home side and their supporters and they immediately set about restoring parity.

Sean Shields saw a well-struck 25-yarder well saved low at the near post by Hornby before Powell rasped an effort over on 27 minutes from a similar distance as Chester found themselves well under the cosh as the home side moved the ball around with pace and purpose to try and puncture a stubborn Blues back four.

The Blues weren’t helping themselves in alleviating the pressure, rushing when in possession and all too keen simply to hoof the ball clear when a bit of composure would not have gone amiss.

But while quality on the ball may have been limited, their work off it was excellent and they were limiting Ebbsfleet to half chances.

But Ebbsfleet continued to come forward and a right-wing cross from Weston found Kedwell who hit it on the turn from 12 yards with the ball sailing well wide.

The onslaught continued with Powell firing wide from distance on 41 minutes before the dangerous Weston caused problems once again as he broke past Jordan Gough, outstripping him for pace before getting to the byline to cross for Kedwell whose first time effort at the near post flashed inches over Hornby’s upright.

And while the home faithful around the press box bemoaned their lack of a killer touch and were at a loss as to how their side were behind at the break, the Blues would have been pleased with their 45 minutes work.

HALF TIME: EBBSFLEET 0 CHESTER 1

It was Chester who had the first effort of the second half, but White was unable to double his tally when his angled effort from distance flew harmlessly over Ashmore’s crossbar on 48 minutes.

Chester were probing more coming forward early on and Halls rifled just over from a loose ball after Paul Turnbull’s initial strike had floored his own team-mate, Lucas Dawson.

It was almost the hour mark when the home side asked questions going forward as a long punt forward from Powell almost found Kedwell lurking at the far post with the striker getting the faintest of touches to put it wide.

But Chester were far more adventurous going forward and they were showing plenty of heart for the fight with Turnbull and the superb Reece Hall-Johnson relishing a tackle.

And it was very nearly 2-0 on 60 minutes when White shrugged off his marker to break free and bear down on goal but Ashmore did well do get down and push away the striker’s effort as he attempted to find the bottom corner. Akintunde’s attempts to convert the rebound were snuffed out by the Fleet defence.

But Ebbsfleet started to get back into their groove.

Sean Shields did well to cut in from the left but Hornby was equal to his shot, saving well down low on 70 minutes.

And there was relief on 77 minutes when a superbly struck Powell free kick from 25 yards rasped inches wide of Hornby’s right-hand post.

Ebbsfleet continued to keep knocking, though, and Hornby had to produce a save that David de Gea would have been proud of when he denied Kedwell’s point-blank header from a Powell corner to keep the Blues in front.

And with two minutes of normal time remaining Ebbsfleet were down to 10 men.

Substitute Bradley Bubb was woefully late when tackling Turnbull, leaving the Chester midfielder writhing in agony.

The Blues protested and referee Alan Young wasted little time in showing Bubb a straight red card.

A whopping six minutes were added on at the end of 90 minutes to leave nerves jangling.

But Chester held on for a deserved success that showed they have the stomach for the fight.

MATCH FACTS

Ebbsfleet United: Ashmore, Winfield, Clark, Powell, Drury, Weston, Shields, Magri (Bubb 46), Coulson (Payne 64), Bush, Kedwell. Subs not used: McCoy, Rance, Jordan.

Sent off: Bubb.

Chester: Hornby, Halls, Astles, Gough, Hall-Johnson, James, Dawson, Turnbull, Shaw, Akintunde (Hannah 61), White. Subs not used: Lynch, Bell, Jones, Udoh.

Bookings: Halls, Hannah.

Goal: White 21.

Referee: Alan Young.

Star man: Reece Hall-Johnson.