Ebbsfleet boss Daryl McMahon admitted the title is Maidenhead's to throw away now.

The Fleet lost 3-2 to leaders Maidenhead at Stonebridge Road on Saturday, and now trail Alan Devonshire's men by 11 points.

"It's a big lead," admitted McMahon. "It's theirs to lose really at this stage of the season, I'd say that.

"We'll keep plugging away and chasing behind them as I'm sure Chelmsford and St Albans will. There's still a long way to go, we're only in the middle of November.

"The league wasn't won or lost (on Saturday) but they are in a fantastic position and we'll see what they do."

Sean Marks' hat-trick of headers sealed the points for Maidenhead but they were given a helping hand when referee Elliott Kaye sent-off Fleet's Mark Phillips with less than 10 minutes to go.

It was a second red card of the game after Maidenhead's James Comley saw red for a two-footed lunge at Anthony Cook and McMahon felt the official got Phillips' red card wrong.

"For me it's not a red card," said McMahon. "There were some pretty dubious decisions throughout the afternoon to be honest.

"I don't like having a go at referees, and I won't have a go at him, but it wasn't a red card for me.

"At that point I could only see us winning the game. That's not to say it's his fault that we lost because we've got to defend better obviously.

"If Phillips doesn't get sent-off, we probably win the match. Maidenhead were camped in their own box and couldn't get out.

"It's a big, big game changer. I don't mind if Tarpey beats two and sticks it in the top corner but to concede a goal from a long throw is poor from our point of view.

"The three goals were poor to concede and they’re not something I recognise from the team we’ve had over the previous weeks.

"We were poor. We were nowhere near good enough defending our box which is something we’re normally really good at."

Maidenhead's first goal also caught the Fleet out - with McMahon admitting they were unaware that law changes in the summer mean a free-kick for offside can be taken in either half now.

He said: "Apparently the rule has changed and you can take the offside from in the attacking half which sort of defeats the point of offside really doesn't it. I'm not sure about that one.

"I had no idea, I didn't know you could do that. We can talk about referees but we've got to defend it better.

"When you concede three goals at home, you don't deserve to win the game."