Ebbsfleet United began their FA Cup campaign in style with a 7-1 hammering of Hythe Town at a sunny Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

The visitors knew they had to produce something special to bridge the two-league gap between the sides, but found themselves up against a Fleet team determined not to be complacent.

While Matt Godden scored his first goal of the season en route to getting a hat-trick, the moment of the afternoon undoubtedly came from 16-year old Ebbsfleet academy player Karn Miller-Neave, who scored a superb 20-yard free-kick on his professional debut.

Fleet manager Steve Brown made two changes to the side that defeated Sutton, with Godden replacing Billy Bricknell up front and Shane Huke starting instead of Anthony Acheampong.

Brown’s faith in Godden, who had yet to score a competitive goal since joining the club in the summer, was repaid almost immediately as the striker scored inside 90 seconds, arriving at the back post to tap the ball home from close range after Sheringham’s header hit the bar.

The lead was doubled five minutes later when Sheringham converted a penalty after Godden was fouled by Jack Sullivan.

Hythe keeper Dan Eason then produced two fine saves to first deny a Matt Johnson header and then a shot from Sheringham as the visitors tried to weather the storm.

But the third goal was inevitable and arrived three minutes before half-time when a ball over the top from Anthony Cook found Godden, who showed good composure to lob Eason with his first touch.

It was 4-0 less than a minute later as Godden intercepted a poor clearance and squared to Sheringham, who finished from 12-yards.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first and Dean Rance had a volley cleared off the line before Godden fired wide.

It took until the 74th minute for the fifth goal to came, but it arrived in spectacular fashion as the Fleet won a free-kick on the right 20-yards from goal.

Substitute Miller-Neave stepped up and curled the ball past Eason and into the top corner.

Hythe then grabbed a consolation when Sam Conlon volleyed in from just inside the area, but the hosts hit back when Aiden Palmer headed in a Cook cross to make it 6-1.

The final goal came when Godden completed his hat-trick after Jordan Sanderson showed good awareness to chip the ball into the path of the striker’s run, who finished across goal to complete the rout.

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Ebbsfleet: Hall, Howe, Palmer, McMahon, Huke, Clark, Johnson (Miller-Neave 61), Rance (Sanderson 77), Sheringham (Bricknell 58), Godden, Cook. Subs not used: Edwards, Tracey, Acheampong, Sessegnon. Att: 738