Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish is hoping his five deadline day signings will help rescue the club from the depths of their relegation scrap.

Daish’s player search hit dead ends during much of the January transfer window but the Fleet finally announced a quintet of deals last Thursday.

Loan moves for Josh Scott, Tobi Alabi, Dammy Shitta, an extension of Jack Saville’s loan and the arrival of Stefan Payne until the end of the season bolstered Daish’s beleaguered squad.

Along with Gareth Gwillim – the sixth new face to arrive at Stonebridge Road last month – the new contingent all featured in Friday’s 4-0 home defeat against Macclesfield.

Daish (pictured) said: "We’re in a position where I had to do something. I can’t keep going with the tried and tested.

"Within our means, and what we have at our disposal, I had to try to change something and bring bodies in."

For Millwall youngsters Alabi and Shitta, Daish laid down a challenge.

He said: "If they’re going to move on in their careers, at 19, they should be hacking it in the Conference.

"This is the real world for them, they’re here to sink or swim now."