Ebbsfleet put Hemel Hempstead to the sword at Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

Four goals in 11 second-half minutes fired the National League South leaders to their biggest win of the season and a step closer to the championship.

Three Fleet players scored their first goals of the campaign after man-of-the-match Danny Kedwell, captain for the day, had broken the deadlock midway through the first half.

Fleet boss Daryl McMahon sprung several surprises with his team selection.

Charlie Sheringham started only his second league game of the season, and first at home, relegating Aaron McLean to the bench. Dean Rance was dropped for the first time since August, with Jordan Parkes recalled to start against his former club in an attack-minded Fleet midfield.

The hosts reverted to 4-4-2 as right-back Matt Fish came straight back into the team after suspension, while John Paul Kissock's inclusion was the fourth change from the Ebbsfleet team which started at Bath a week earlier.

Top scorer Matt Godden was fit enough for a bench which also included Sean Shields - back from his loan spell at Hemel - but Joe Howe wasn't included at all.

Suspension ruled out centre-half Tom Bonner and winger Anthony Cook.

Hemel, who arrived on the back of a six-match unbeaten run, made just one change from their 1-1 draw with Chelmsford in midweel. Xavier Vidal made his debut after joining on loan from Welling, with Ibra Sekajja the man to make way.

Ebbsfleet kicked towards the Plough End in the first half and they fashioned a good chance in the second minute. Sam Deering's ball over the top sent Stuart Lewis racing down the right and Ebbsfleet with a three-on-three break. Lewis crossed low for Sheringham, whose shot on the turn was blocked.

Ricky Wellard floated a shot well over for Hemel but it was the home side, led by Kedwell, who were on the front foot. Sheringham turned another Lewis cross just wide of the near post and when Kedwell dispossessed the dawdling Harry Hickford, Sheringham was clear - but offside.

Sheringham then lobbed goalkeeper Jamie Butler from a narrow angle but Hickford got back well to head off the line.

Ebbsfleet took the lead on 25 minutes. Again, pressing high up the pitch was the key, Sheringham winning the ball on the left-hand side of the box and Kedwell rifling it low past Butler from around 18 yards.

The sense of relief around Stonebridge Road was palpable and the relentless Kedwell just kept running. He crossed low for Sheringham, who fired one past the post.

A fantastic long-range volley from Graeme Montgomery was well-caught by Nathan Ashmore at the other end.

Kedwell chased back into his own defensive third to clear the next Hemel attack and more pressing from Sheringham almost led to a second Fleet goal a minute before the break. Sheringham charged down a clearance which ricocheted to Deering, who cut inside side curled a shot just wide as the Hemel bench screamed for offside.

The next goal was always going to be crucial and, four minutes into the second half, Ebbsfleet scored it.

Bryan van den Bogaert had just been denied by Butler when the ball ran for Lewis just inside the box and he planted a low shot into the far corner for his first goal of the season.

It could have been 3-0 moments later when Fleet counter-attacked to great effect. Fish's ball down the line was carried forward by Deering and he reversed the ball into Sheringham's path only for the assistant's flag to halt the move.

Hemel's Nikolay Todorov tried his luck with a bicycle kick from 18 yards but his effort, although technically impressive, was well off target.

Kenny Clark forced Parkes' left-wing corner over the line to make it 3-0 and a fourth goal followed four minutes later. Fish played a one-two with Sheringham, who unselfishly returned the pass when he could have shot, and Fish touched the ball beyond Butler.

Hemel were a beaten side now and were further deflated by the sight of McLean and Shields coming on for the last 20 minutes. Sheringham rightly left the field to a terrific ovation.

The home side were in no mood to let up. Parkes fired into an empty net after Kedwell had rattled the post and Shields touched in Fish's cross from the right to make it six.

Ashmore had to be alert to gather a Sekejja strike from distance although Lewis almost doubled his tally after Kedwell's ball over the top sent him clean through.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Fish, Van den Bogaert, Lewis (Rance 88mins), Acheampong, Clark, Deering (Shields 71mins), Parkes, Kedwell, Sheringham (McLean 71mins), Kissock. Subs not used: Godden, Miles.

Hemel: Butler, Herd, Kelly, Bailey-Dennis, Todorov, Hickford, Wellard, Richens (Freeman 67mins), Vidal (Sekajja 56mins), Potton (Spring 46mins), Montgomery. Subs not used: Mitchel-King, Parrott.

Attendance: 1,021.