Chris Wilder chalked up his first win as Oxford United's new manager thanks to a two-goal burst midway through the first half and three more near the end.

The U's chalked up their biggest victory since August, despite having an injury-ravaged side.

Lewis Haldane opened the scoring on 16 minutes with a skilful hooked shot from 16 yards after Phil Trainer knocked the ball forwards and James Constable directed it sideays after battling hard for it with an Ebbsflewet defender.

And four minutes later Constable doubled United's lead with his 12th goal of the season.

Once again Haldane played a significant part, with a positive and determined run down the left.

When he cut the ball back from near the bye-line, Eddie Huthcinson couldn't do much with it, under pressure from a defender but Constable picked up the loose ball, swivelled and then drilled a low shot past goalkeeper Lance Cronin from just outside the area.

It was constable's 11th goal of the season for the U's - he's also scored for England C - while Haldane's strike was only his second of the campaign.

Wilder was down to the bare bones with his squad after injury and illness ruled out Sam Deering, Chris Carruthers, Jamie Guy and Joe Burnell, plus, of course, long-term injury victim Barry Quinn.

Deering too is out for the rest of the season with X-rays revealing he has a broken fibula after the late challenge on him at Salisbury on Boxing Day.

Looking to get the Salisbury defeat out of their system as quickly as possible, United forced the pace in the early exchanges.

Constable embarked on a strong run, after good work from Haldane, and moments later Adam Murray drove over from distance.

With Constable looking lively and powerful, Ebbsfleet had their hands full just in dealiong with him.

He burst between two defenders, cut the ball back and when it ran loose, Trainer's shot hit Cronin on the foot and Yemi Odubade couldn't get any weight on his follow-up shot.

At the back, Chris Willmott was looking back to his best, dominant ion the air, and the visitors were finding it hard to mount a reply.

It was not until the 37th minute, after a clever dummy by Stacy Long, that Keze Ibe managed their first shot, but it was a comfortable one for Billy Turley to deal with.

Two goals up at the break, United looked more relaxed, and there was a confidence about them going forward that they have often had at home recently.

However, their third goal on 51 minutes came as a late Christmas gift from Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Cronin.

He should have easily dealt with Willmott's through pass to Odubade but hit his clearance straight at the striker, and Odubade had the simple task of running forward to roll the ball into an empty goal.

Hopes of keeping a clean sheet disappeared when Fleet pulled a goal back 13 minutes from time.

Willmott fouled Ibe just outside the box and Long hammered his free-kick into the net with a superb strike.

Yet that wasn't the end of the scoring.

Four minutes later, substitute Alex Fisher won a header against Cronin, from James Clarke's long punt forward, and Phil Trainer tucked the ball home at the far post.

Fisher then finished superbly when put through the inside right channel by Murray's incisive pass.

Haldane and sub Matty Taylor went close as United fans chanted "We Want Six".

And it's a while since they've had the pleasure of being able to do that.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Clarke, Willmott. Foster, Day, Haldane (Groves 89), Murray, Hutchinson, Trainer, Constable (Taylor 88), Odubade (Fisher 78). Subs not used: Hinchliffe, Evans.

Att: 5,120 (91 from Ebbsfleet).