Ebbsfleet returned to form with an impressive win over Hartlepool on Saturday.

Having suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season, they bounced back with an excellent team performance against a Pools side who were playing in League 2 last season.

Myles Weston, Danny Kedwell and Luke Coulson scored the Fleet goals but everyone in red deserved credit for their work at both ends of the pitch.

Daryl McMahon, who was so unhappy with Ebbsfleet's performance in the 1-0 defeat at Woking on Tuesday, made two changes to his starting XI. Sean Shields and Weston came in for Jack Powell and Anthony Cook while there was a place on the bench for player/coach Aaron McLean.

With top scorer Jonathan Franks still out injured, Hartlepool were unchanged from their 4-0 win at home to FC Halifax in midweek.

Weston was Fleet's best outlet in the opening stages, getting forward to good effect down the right-hand side.

He cut inside and tested Pools keeper Scott Loach before sending over a tempting cross which Shields headed against Liam Donnelly.

Coulson, playing up front with Kedwell, became more influential as the first half wore on. He led a quick break out of defence but put too much on his pass to Kedwell at the crucial moment.

Hartlepool moved the ball nicely but lacked an end product.

Rhys Oates dragged a shot well wide and Fleet were soon back on the attack.

Weston forced Loach to tip his 20-yard strike over the bar when the visitors failed to clear Jack Connors' free-kick from the left and he then broke the deadlock on 22 minutes.

A short corner was played back to Weston, whose cross was aimed for Sam Magri at the near post but ended up creeping inside the far post with no-one getting a touch in the middle.

It needed a good Kenny Clark block to thwart Jake Cassidy when a Nicky Deverdics free-kick dropped in the Fleet box but the home side, driven forward by Coulson, continued to pose the greater threat.

Weston had a cross blocked after latching onto one Coulson pass before the midfielder found Shields in space wide on the left. Shields darted inside and curled a shot just wide of the far post.

Hartlepool's shooting got no better as Donnelly blasted a wayward effort into the Plough End.

Fleet finished the half on top, playing out of defence nicely and working the ball into a dangerous position although Weston was dispossessed just as he was about to pull the trigger 25 yards out.

The visitors came out strongly for the start of the second half and worked the ball well around Ebbsfleet's penalty area. Nathan Ashmore got down well to keep out a Devante Rodney shot and Louis Laing headed just over from a corner.

But Fleet dealt well with a series of balls into their box and then went close to making it 2-0. Kedwell switched play from right to left and Shields hit a shot which deflected across Loach and just wide.

But the lead was doubled on 67 minutes when Shields stood up a great cross from the left and Kedwell powered a header into the net from close range.

Fleet did well to take the sting out of the game after that and they repelled what pressure Hartlepool were able to create.

Michael Woods ballooned a shot over and substitute Tomi Adeloye, on the slide, turned a low cross just wide at the far post.

It was game over, nine minutes from time, when Ebbsfleet scored a third goal of real quality.

Neat interplay down the right allowed Magri to run into the box and he got up his head up well to pick out Coulson for a precise finish into the bottom corner.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Magri, Clark, Bush, Connors, Weston, Rance (Powell 66mins), Drury, Shields, Coulson (Cook 89mins), Kedwell (McLean 90mins). Subs not used: McCoy, Miles.

Hartlepool: Loach, Donnelly, Laing, Harrison, Deverdics, Featherstone (Munns 64mins), Woods, Newton, Rodney (Adeloye 52mins), Cassidy, Oates. Subs not used: Ledger, George, Hawkins.

Attendance: 1,416.