Zac Attwood led Maidstone to victory against his former club as United beat Margate 4-0 on Boxing Day.

Attwood opened the scoring and had a hand in two more goals as Stones wrapped up the points before half-time in front of 2,002 fans at the Gallagher Stadium.

United made sure of the points by adding a fourth goal in the last 10 minutes.

It was Attwood's performance for Margate against Maidstone on August Bank Holiday that clinched his move to the Gallagher.

And the striker was clearly up for facing his old side, producing an all-action display that saw him lead the line superbly.

Gate's Matt Bodkin fired straight at Lee Worgan when through on goal, while Frannie Collin pulled an effort wide at the other end during a quiet start.

Stones only really got going when Attwood opened the scoring on 30 minutes.

He latched on to Alex Flisher's through ball and outmuscled Richard Avery before slotting the ball under Blues keeper Craig Holloway.

Flisher dragged a strike wide after Gate lost possession on the edge of their own box but Stones didn't have long to wait for their second goal.

Defender Graeme Andrews launched the move with a sweeping ball out to Flisher.

Tom Mills made the overlap and fed Attwood, with Brown taking possession and working space to thump the ball past Holloway down the middle of the goal on 39 minutes.

United added their third in first-half injury time with Attwood feeding captain-for-the-day Collin, who rolled the ball in off the near post from just inside the box.

Shellshocked Gate almost conceded again before the break with Rory Hill cutting in from the right and hitting the side-netting.

Maidstone kept the ball well early in the second half, Hill, Dan Parkinson and Collin combining to play in Brown whose goalbound strike was blocked and went out for a corner.

Gate threw on a third striker in Charles Ademeno after an hour but he screwed an effort horribly wide from Phil Walsh's pass, then Richard Avery missed the target.

Substitute Ashley Miller started and finished the move for Maidstone's fourth goal after 84 minutes, firing home after Charley Robertson's effort came back off the post.

Jack Harris looked set to add a fifth but saw his strike blocked on the edge of the six-yard box.

Maidstone: Worgan, D Parkinson, Mills, Campbell, Andrews, Brown, Hill (Miller 80mins), J Parkinson, Attwood (Robertson 83mins), Collin (Harris 75mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Saraiva, Mitten.

Margate: Holloway, Cox, Dolby, Wilson (Borrowdale 46mins), Stuart, Avery, Bodkin, Sammoutis (Ademeno 61mins), Walsh, McDonald (Ashikodi 71mins), Yusuff. Subs not used: Whitely, Kinch.

Attendance: 2,002.