Ebbsfleet United cruised into the FA Cup third qualifying round at Hythe Town's expense on Saturday.

There are 63 league places between these sides and the gulf was painfully evident at times during a one-sided contest at The PHB Stadium.

Fleet were ahead inside two minutes and 4-0 up at the break, with Charlie Sheringham and the recalled Matty Godden helping themselves to two goals each.

But the moment of the match came on 73 minutes when academy player Karn Miller-Neave curled in a wonderful free-kick to mark his first-team debut in style.

Sam Conlon pulled a goal back for Hythe but Aiden Palmer made it six and Godden wrapped up a hat-trick in stoppage-time.

Goalkeeper Brandon Hall kept his place for the home side, with Preston Edwards left on the bench despite his one-game suspension having been overturned in the week. Fleet boss Steve Brown, who saw his team sweep promotion rivals Sutton aside in their previous game, made just two changes - bringing in Shane Huke and Godden for Anthony Acheampong and Billy Bricknell.

Miller-Neave and Shilow Tracey, scorers for the Fleet's academy side against Folkestone in the FA Youth Cup less than 48 hours earlier, were both among the substitutes.

Hythe's starting XI bore two alterations from their 2-2 draw against Walton Casuals in midweek. Josh Burchell returned from suspension, taking Phil Stevenson's place, while Dave Pilcher came in for the injured Jamie Collado. Craig Thompson came back into the squad but he had to settle for a place on the bench.

The visitors were level in the tie for just one minute and 40 seconds.

Fleet right-back Joe Howe was given all the time in the world to measure a left-footed cross and after Sheringham's looping header had come back off the crossbar, Godden was left with a simple tap-in.

Godden, energised by his goal, punished sloppy Hythe defending six minutes minutes later by bursting into the box and winning a penalty. He was tripped by Jack Sullivan and Sheringham made no mistake from the spot, smashing the ball straight down the middle.

It was almost 3-0 when Godden ran clean through on goal but Hythe keeper Dan Eason stood tall to deny him with a good save. Godden then got a toe to Anthony Cook's snapshot but he could only turn the ball wide of the post.

Hythe were barely getting a kick, with Ebbsfleet first to everything.

Only a brilliant save from Eason kept out Matt Johnson's header when the midfielder rose well to meet a Daryl McMahon corner. McMahon's next delivery, a free-kick from wide on the right, was nodded just over by Sheringham.

Eason got down well to claw out Sheringham's low shot and the Fleet fans were appealing for a penalty moments later when the ball bounced up and appeared to strike James Morrish on the hand. Referee Chris O'Donnell waved their appeals away, though.

Sheringham tried his luck with a free-kick 25 yards out but his curling effort floated over.

Hythe eventually broke out of their own half and Sullivan linked well with Jordan Wells but a good tackle by Howe stopped the Cannons in their tracks and got Ebbsfleet moving again.

It looked as though the visitors might cave in and then, just before half-time, they did.

Godden doubled his tally by toe-ending the ball past Eason after sprinting onto a pass from the left and he then turned provider, crossing for Sheringham to score from close-range after Hythe had surrendered possession cheaply straight from the restart.

A smart McMahon through-ball sent Godden clear and he lobbed Eason for what he thought was his hat-trick goal - but the flag had already gone up for offside.

Hythe had their first effort on goal just before the interval, Kenny Clark blocking Sullivan's goalbound shot.

The home side continued to boss possession at the start of the second half.

Huke, on the stretch, headed a McMahon free-kick over the bar and Godden then lifted his shot into the Plough End after Johnson had dummied his man on the edge of the box and picked out the striker with a neat pass.

Chances were at more of a premium in the second period but Godden did have a header cleared off the line when he nodded a McMahon corner towards the far corner.

Cook's left-wing corner travelled all the way through the six-yard box and Dean Rance stretched to volley the ball goalwards - only to see a blue shirt block his effort on the line.

The ground had fallen quiet as the game drifted on but the Fleet fans rose to salute a quite brilliant strike by Miller-Neave with 17 minutes left. The diminutive full-back curled a free-kick from the right-hand corner of the box in off the far post and he was immediately mobbed by his delighted team-mates.

Hythe did get themselves on the scoreboard a few minutes later when the ball dropped in the box and Conlon stabbed his shot past Hall.

But after Eason had palmed out a powerful Cook effort, the Town keeper was beaten again.

Cook stood up an enticing cross from the right and full-back Palmer, who found himself in the centre-forward position, planted a good header beyond Eason's left hand.

McMahon almost scored in the last minute but his dipping 30-yarder was just off-target.

There was still time, however, for Godden to finally complete his treble in the 92nd minute.

Ebbsfleet: Hall, Howe, Huke, Clark, Palmer, Johnson (Miller-Neave 61mins), Rance (Sanderson 77mins), McMahon, Cook, Sheringham (Bricknell 58mins), Godden. Subs not used: Acheampong, Edwards, Sessegnon, Tracey.

Hythe: Eason, Walker, Sullivan, Yianni, Pleau (Stevenson 65mins), Harvey, Pilcher, Morrish, Wells (Thompson 75mins), Conlon (Philpott 87mins), Burchell. Subs not used: Mingle, Nyaruwa, Amor.

Attendance: 738.