Craig Fagan had to change his starting XI for Maidstone’s Kent derby defeat by Ebbsfleet after two players were caught in traffic on their way to the ground.

The Stones boss refused to use that as an excuse for Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss at the Gallagher Stadium but it was far from ideal going into a top-of-the-table clash.

Maidstone fell behind inside 10 minutes to a Camron Gbadebo goal and struggled to get going in the first half.

They produced a much-improved second-half display only to fall further behind when Daniel Ogunleye struck.

Jayden Davis gave them hope in the last 10 minutes but Harvey Walker’s injury-time strike clinched victory for the visitors and saw them take top spot from Maidstone, who drop to third.

“It wasn’t the line-up I wanted to play,” revealed Fagan, who pointed to mistakes for all three Fleet goals.

“Two lads were stuck in traffic and late, which didn’t help.

“That’s not an excuse because any player that comes in [should know their role] but for the players they had, we were setting up a certain way.

“We spoke about it all weekend, and it had to be changed, but it is what it is.

“Sometimes fans will question why certain people played but we’d actually had a different outcome in mind.”

Fagan took encouragement from the second-half display after seeing Maidstone, 3-0 winners in the corresponding fixture last season, take the game to Ebbsfleet.

Josh Wright’s side stood up to it, and remain unbeaten, but Fagan is convinced the new leaders can be got at.

“We didn’t start the first half well and it gave them a foothold in the game,” he said.

“We know derbies, they're going to be feisty. They're going to be frenetic. That's how we beat them last season.

“We didn't start like that. But then you saw a difference in the second half and we went after them.

“They're a good team. I will 100 per cent say that. But I'd say we're the first team that's put it on them this season, showed them no respect, don’t let them play, and you saw a difference.

“Without the mistakes, because there were blatant mistakes for their goals, I think, of course, it's going to be a different result.

“It's easy to stand there and say that but I think the performance in the second half, we put it on them.

“I saw a different [Ebbsfleet] team to what I've been watching in the last three home games they've had, and other games.

“So, maybe that's an eye-opener for some of us that are playing them. They're there to get at.”

Fagan took it as a compliment that Ebbsfleet boss Wright switched formation for the fixture.

The visitors were aware of the threats Maidstone carried and took action to nullify them, deploying a back four.

“Ebbsfleet have played 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-2-1 all season,” said Fagan. “They changed for us. So there's your respect.

“They understood what we were about. Yes, it worked in terms of the result, but we gifted them the goals in terms of mistakes.

“But they changed for us. They haven't done that this season. That's the first time. So I said to the players, that's the respect that they've paid us.”