Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish has hit out at the Blue Square Bet South fixture planners over the dates of the derby clashes with Dartford.

Fans of both clubs are already excited over the rivals clashing again in a league game for the first time in 18 years but Daish is bewildered that neither the home or away fixture has been given a prime Bank Holiday date.

The Fleet will travel to Prince’s Park on Tuesday, December 28, which is a Bank Holiday this year but Daish believes that the derby should have been fixed for either Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, when Ebbsfleet will instead be involved in a double-header with Lewes.

Daish (pictured) said: "It beggars belief that we haven’t been given Dartford on one of those days, especially as we used to groundshare with them.

"Let’s face it, playing Lewes on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day doesn’t have the same ring to it."

The Fleet will open their first season back in Blue Square Bet South with a home game against Maidenhead on Saturday, August 14.

They then face two away matches against Farnborough and Bishop’s Stortford before successive home Kent derbies against Dover on August 24 and Dartford on August 28.

Daish, however, is understandably happy that the Fleet have been able to fix up a pre-season friendly with Gillingham at Stonebridge Road on Saturday, July 24.

The Gills were originally due to play Dover on that date but cancelled the fixture because of the bad feeling currently emanating from Crabble over the departure of Andy Hessenthaler to Priestfield and Fleet were delighted to plug the gap.

Daish said: "We have had a bit of a problem organising pre-season friendlies, so it’s great that the Gills will be coming down here now. I’m sure the game will attract a big crowd, especially with Andy (Hessenthaler) coming back to his home town."

What do you think about the decision to not have Ebbsfleet and Dartford meet on a Bank Holiday? Have your say below.