Matt Godden scored four goals as Ebbsfleet routed Hayes & Yeading on Saturday.

The striker was peerless at York Road, not only in his finishing but all-round play as the National League South leaders showed their class.

Wins elsewhere for Sutton and Maidstone - who clash at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday - mean Fleet's title hopes are still out of their hands but they should go into their final three games of the season full of confidence after this display in Berkshire.

Ebbsfleet's team bore four changes from the 1-1 derby draw with Dartford on Easter Monday. Injury ruled out Anthony Acheampong, so captain Tom Bonner returned in central defence, while Bryan van den Bogaert was preferred to Joe Howe at left-back.

John Paul Kissock took Dean Rance's place in midfield while striker Aaron McLean, who hasn't scored since February, was dropped. Sean Shields was handed a start having impressed as a substitute against Dartford.

Hayes, beaten 5-2 by Maidenhead in their last game, looked defensively nervous right from the start. Right-back Adetayo Osifuwa misjudged a long ball forward and Godden was in for a moment until Darren Purse got back to mop up.

Godden wasn't to be denied for long - although the home side caused their own downfall for the opening goal on seven minutes. Olumide Durojaiye sliced the ball across his own penalty area and Emmanuel Monthe's attempted header back to goalkeeper James Hamon was far too soft, allowing Godden to steal in. Given a clear sight of goal, 12 yards out, he was never going to miss and sure enough, the ball nestled in the bottom corner.

There was an anxious moment at the other end when Fleet keeper Nathan Ashmore failed to claim a Purse free-kick from deep, although Shepherd Murombedzi could only hook the loose ball high over the crossbar.

After that, Fleet began to play some of the football which had made them so attractive in the early part of the season. Danny Kedwell glanced a header wide and Osifuwa almost put through his own goal after Shields had delivered a dangerous cross from the right.

Shields and Jordan Parkes then combined well in midfield and the visitors moved the ball from right to left although Godden couldn't generate the power to beat Hamon when Kedwell picked him out in the middle.

Ashmore made his first save of the game with half an hour played, clutching Purse's header from a left-wing corner.

Another terrific Ebbsfleet move saw Kedwell's backheel provide a crossing opportunity for Van den Bogaert and his cutback was turned wide of the near post by Parkes.

It was 1-0 going into first-half stoppage-time but Fleet doubled their lead when Shields picked out Godden who, with the angle narrowing, smashed the ball in off the near post.

Ebbsfleet started the second half looking like they wanted to kill the game off.

Hamon had to race out of his box when Kedwell's ball over the top threatened to send Godden clear and Godden then controlled Stuart Lewis' dinked pass and volleyed just wide of the far post.

Kedwell spun well on the edge of the box and forced a smart save from Hamon before Sean Cronin volleyed over from a corner at the other end.

Van den Bogaert and Parkes combined to set up Godden for a shot which Hamon did well to push out, although Hayes then went close on the counter-attack. Max Worsfold burst through the Fleet half and with Matt Fish backing off, tried his luck with a low strike which almost wrong-footed Ashmore.

The men in yellow shirts then constructed a brilliant move which almost saw them extend their lead. Shields chipped the ball over the top, Godden laid it cleverly into Lewis' path and his low cross through the six-yard box was only just scrambled to safety.

Godden completed his hat-trick on 68 minutes when more woeful defending allowed him to run unchallenged into the box, dribble round Hamon and roll the ball into an empty net.

It was four for Ebbsfleet - and Godden - six minutes later. Van den Bogaert led a rapid counter-attack down the left and his booming diagonal ball was brilliantly lashed across Hamon by the irresistible Godden.

Charlie Sheringham came off the bench and tapped home a Shields cross to complete the scoring three minutes from time.

Hayes & Yeading: Hamon, Osifuwa, Worsfold, Monthe (Brown 49mins), Purse, Cronin, Murombedzi (Collins 63mins), Everitt (Lodge 83mins), Benyon, Durojaiye, Harper. Subs not used: Ehui, Kearney.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Fish, Van den Bogaert, Lewis, Clark, Bonner, Kissock (Rance 81mins), Parkes (Cook 83mins), Kedwell, Godden (Sheringham 83mins), Shields. Subs not used: Miles, McLean.

Attendance: 287.