Ebbsfleet United are planning to send new signing Dean Pooley out on loan.

The former Bromley and Margate defender, who won promotion with Ebbsfleet in 2010-11, has only had 90 minutes of competitive football since re-joining the club from Maidstone United.

Pooley played against Charlton Athletic in the Kent Senior Cup but he was left on the bench against Sutton in the Fleet's next game.

He was ineligible for the visit of Hythe in the FA Cup and wasn't in the Fleet's 16-man squad for either of this week's league fixtures against Farnborough and Eastbourne Borough.

Ebbsfleet boss Steve Brown said: "Pooley's now training full-time but he's in need of games because he needs sharpness.

"Obviously he's cup-tied (and can't feature against Basingstoke this weekend) so I've got to speak to Pooley about that situation because the more that drags on - and this is the issue we've always had - how do you get those players fit? It's very difficult and you have to loan them out.

"I've got one or two that probably are looking at being loaned out, to get games, to get sharp for November and December. That's why we went for a slightly bigger squad than normal, because we knew it was going to get stretched across the season."

Meanwhile, defender Lloyd Harrington and winger Alex Osborn are still recovering from injuries.

Brown said: "Lloydy is just coming back but will not be available for Saturday, no chance.

"Os is the same - he's looking to train next week, as is Lloydy, full-time."