Scoring a hat-trick on Saturday has lifted the pressure from Matty Godden’s shoulders after the returning Ebbsfleet striker had gone 10 games without a goal.

Godden became a Fleet fans’ favourite during two spells on loan from Scunthorpe and he netted twice in pre-season after leaving The Iron to sign a two-year contract at the PHB Stadium.

He partnered fellow new signing Charlie Sheringham at the start of the season but failed to score in his first five games and was dropped.

Godden said: "I put a bit too much pressure on myself at the start of the season to score. Coming back to one of my old clubs, I thought I needed to hit the ground running.

"The fans know what I was about before and I put pressure on myself to deliver that back to them. That’s what they expected of me and that’s what I tried to do. I did put a bit too much pressure on myself and it started to show when I started snatching at shots because that’s not usually what I’m like.

"I sat down with Browny (Fleet manager Steve Brown) and we had a chat. I needed to come out of the team to relax. I wasn’t too disappointed at being pulled out of the team because I understood where Browny was coming from.

"Billy (Bricknell) and Charlie needed to play, they started scoring and I needed to be patient."

As the goals flowed for Sheringham and Bricknell, Godden had to settle for a couple of appearances on the right-wing as cover for the injured Alex Osborn. His swagger had gone - but a goal inside two minutes on Saturday changed that.

Godden said: “I had a feeling about Saturday. To score in the first couple of minutes was a bonus. It was only two or three yards out and as people here know, that’s all I do, really. I don’t score many goals outside the 18-yard box – or even the six-yard box.

"Scoring a goal makes a massive difference. It takes a lot of weight off your shoulders. Now the floodgates should start opening.

"I always knew, if I stayed patient, that once one comes, they all come. That’s always been the way with me - once I get one goal, I don’t seem to stop."

Read the full interview in the Gravesend Messenger.