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Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore joins Boreham Wood on loan

Ebbsfleet keeper Nathan Ashmore has joined National League rivals Boreham Wood.

Ashmore makes the move to Wood on loan for the remainder of the season.

Nathan Ashmore has left Ebbsfleet to join Boreham Wood on loan. Picture: Andy Payton
Nathan Ashmore has left Ebbsfleet to join Boreham Wood on loan. Picture: Andy Payton

The 29-year-old, who was out of contract at the end of this campaign, seems to have now played his last game for the club. He featured 171 times for the Fleet in total.

The last time Ashmore played at Boreham Wood, he ended up in the crowd after the full-time whistle to confront fans after being abused during the 0-0 draw in November 2018.

That led Boreham Wood to issue a public apology to Ashmore following the incident.

Ashmore first joined the Fleet for an undisclosed fee in March 2016 from Gosport Borough.

He quickly became a fans' favourite between the sticks at Stonebridge Road and helped the Fleet win promotion in 2017.

The Fleet's player-of-the-year in each of the last two seasons, he helped them reach the play-offs last season but quickly fell out of favour with boss Garry Hill at the start of the current campaign.

Ashmore started the first five league games but Hill moved to sign former Bournemouth stopper Jordan Holmes in August and the latter has been an ever-present since then.

Speaking in August, Fleet boss Hill said: "As far as I'm concerned with Nathan Ashmore, he's not fit. That's all I would say on that at the moment.

"His performances haven't been good enough over the first five games.

"People have seen the games as well as I have and I've had to make a decision, which you do as a football manager."

Hill added: "It's the same with any player. Competition, the right way, is healthy so a reaction's a very important thing with any player at a football club.

"It's not (a decision I took lightly) but I have to analyse certain things.

"My view is the goalkeeper hasn't played very well, I don't think he's fit and I made the decision to do what I had to do."

Boreham Wood chairman Danny Hunter told his club's website: "Sometimes opportunity knocks and you have to go with it. Bromley’s keeper picked up a nasty injury last Saturday, Bromley then enquired about young Ryan Huddart and suddenly a deal is done between our clubs in no time.

"At the same time, Nathan was being circulated by Ebbsfleet, and I could see there was potential to get something done.

“I had quick chat with (manager) Luke Garrard and then my old friend in Garry Hill and the deal was done in less an hour between the clubs. In truth, I couldn’t be more pleased.

"If we can now get Nathan enjoying his football and if we can get him settled, then we know we have one hell of a keeper on our hands and a real platform to progress ourselves up the league.”

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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