Hat-tricks from Darren McQueen and Anthony Cook fired Fleet to victory over lowly Bishop's Stortford on Tuesday night.

Fleet were always expected to brush aside lowly Stortford in National League South but they did it in some style.

Leading 3-0 at the break, they carried on after the break and remain a point behind leaders Maidenhead who thrashed Oxford City.

Fleet boss Daryl McMahon made two changes from the team that beat Weston 2-1 on Saturday.

Out went Bradley Bubb and Jack Connors with McQueen and Jack Howells coming into the starting XI.

Fleet took their time to see off Weston but they didn't hang around this time.

Cook gave them an eight-minute lead. His right-foot curler was deflected wide of the upright for a corner which was cleared only as far as Cook and he drilled home first time from the edge of the box.

Darren Purse then cleared off the line to deny McQueen before Stortford enjoyed their best spell of possession, with Fleet keeper Nathan Ashmore called upon to tip over Aaron Greene's effort.

Fleet took the sting out of the game on 23 minutes when McQueen made it 2-0, keeper Richard Walton letting his 20-yard left-foot shot through his hands.

McQueen then fired a cracking long-range shot against the upright as Fleet dominated the game.

The inevitable third goal arrived before half-time when Cook collected McQueen's pass and, taking advantage of Jack Powell's dummy run, he curled his right-foot shot into the top corner.

Cook scored twice in the first half during the Fleet's home win over East Thurrock at the start of March but failed to complete his hat-trick that time.

Fleet carried on where they left off after the break, taking just seven minutes to find a fourth goal. Deering, who was at the heart of everything good, crossed for McQueen, who worked the ball onto his left foot before firing home from close range.

McQueen dragged a hat-trick chance wide after another flowing Fleet move but he was not to be denied and completed his treble on 62 minutes.

More brilliant movement and one-touch passing ended with Deering setting up McQueen, whose low left-foot shot went in off the far post.

Anything McQueen can do, Cook could do as well - and he got his hat-trick in style on 69 minutes.

Collecting the ball in midfield, Cook drove forward and let fly with his right foot to find the bottom corner from 30 yards.

The unselfish Danny Kedwell then played in substitute Bubb for the seventh goal with seven minutes left, Bubb firing low past Walton.

Kedwell got his reward in the 90th minute, heading home Jack Powell's cross to complete the scoring.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Cook (Shields 72mins), Howells, McCoy, Phillips, Clark, Powell, Drury (Rance 70mins), Kedwell, McQueen (Bubb 65mins), Deering. Subs not used: Mambo, Jordan.

Bishop's Stortford: Walton, Rodgers, Williams, Hickford, Bray, Purse, Ford, Taiwo, Callender (Kabeya 59mins), Greene (Kouassi 62mins), Davidson. Subs not used: Harris, Lazzari, Ronto.

Attendance: 1,229.