Jack Barham scored a hat-trick against his former club as Maidstone thrashed league leaders Dartford.

Barham’s opener was the Stones’ 300th league goal at the Gallagher Stadium and he went on to complete his treble before Michael Phillips added a late fourth.

It was an afternoon to savour for the Stones but one to forget for the visitors as Darts conceded four under Steve King for the first time, losing top spot in National South to Oxford City.

Joe Ellul returned in a patched-up Maidstone back four missing George Fowler and Jerome Binnom-Williams through illness.

He partnered Gavin Hoyte in central defence, with winger Jermaine McGlashan filling in at right-back and Raphe Brown moving to left-back.

Dartford must have fancied their chances of getting after something of a makeshift backline, and there was an early scare for the Stones when Porter put Ellul under pressure.

Neither keeper made a save in the opening 20 minutes but once Hakan Hayrettin’s side went in front, it triggered dominance Maidstone haven’t enjoyed against Dartford for a good couple of seasons.

The opener came in the 23rd minute with Barham alert to ease the ball past Dan Wilks after Regan Booty and then Brown saw shots blocked in a busy penalty box.

Darts manager King saw something he didn’t like and was booked for his protests.

Luque fired over after collecting Ellul’s header and running virtually the length of the pitch - earning the right to shoot - then a poor clearance by Wilks presented the ball to Christie Pattisson, who should have scored, but the Darts No.1 made amends with a decent save at his near post.

More slack play in the Darts defence saw Josh Clarke gift the ball to Luque who rolled wide with most of the goal to aim at as another chance fell the hosts’ way.

A second goal looked on the cards and it arrived two minutes before half-time after Sam Corne released Luque down the left.

The Stones wideman went on another dangerous run before retuning the ball to Corne and when his shot hit the base of the post, Barham pounced for 2-0.

Connor Essam planted a header into the side-netting for Darts at the start of the second half but Maidstone were soon back on the attack with Corne firing over from Luque’s pull-back.

Maidstone didn’t have long to wait for their third goal and how Barham enjoyed completing his hat-trick in front of the Darts fans.

The goal came in the 50th minute with Barham pouncing after Wilks failed to deal with a straightforward strike from Brown with his weaker right foot.

Pattisson drilled a loose ball wide after Corne met McGlashan’s cross and a minute later he was denied by the fingertips of Wilks, who pushed his fierce strike from a Luque pass against the bar.

Darts winger Danny Leonard fired narrowly wide with 20 minutes to go, a little warning it wasn’t game over, and the same man worked Tom Hadler a few minutes later, the Stones keeper pushing his strike wide.

Maidstone, who had assistant manager Terry Harris sent from the touchline, were in again with 10 minutes left, Wilks with a double save to thwart Pattisson and Phillips’ follow-up.

The Stones had their fourth on 85 minutes, with Phillips meeting Booty’s cross, and that had Dartford fans heading for the exits.

Maidstone: Hadler, McGlashan, Hoyte, Ellul (Curran 76mins), Brown, Booty, Corne, Phillips, Pattisson (Gurung 87mins), Barham (Walters 77mins), Luque. Subs not used: Gallagher, Mersin.

Dartford: Wilks, Clarke, Essam, Bonner, Meade, Leonard, Murtagh (Hyde 60mins), Husin, Wanadio (Jebb 56mins), Porter, Azeez (Roberts 66mins). Subs not used: Vint, Wynter.

Attendance: 2,560.

Referee: Jason Richardson.