Ebbsfleet are in the transfer market for a new defender after losing club captain Dave Winfield for most of the season.

Winfield damaged his medial knee ligament in last Tuesday’s win over Maidstone and may not return until February.

Fleet were also missing Kenny Clark (hamstring) at Dagenham in midweek while international commitments with Malta will rule Sam Magri out of two league games later this month.

Yado Mambo started just his second match since December as Ebbsfleet came from two goals down to draw 3-3 at Dagenham but manager Daryl McMahon knows he needs reinforcements.

He said: "I’m not sure if we’ll get anyone in before Maidenhead (on Saturday) if I’m being brutally honest.

"We’ve been close with a couple. A couple of clubs are keeping some players back because of the transfer window.

"I want to make sure I get the right one. I don’t want to bring in someone just for the sake of it, to be a body around the place. It’s got to be someone that can come in and impact the team. It’s got to be the right character."

Fleet have conceded six goals in two games since losing Winfield and it would have been more without the heroics of goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore.

McMahon said: "You can’t get away from the fact that you lose your captain, who’s a massive influence on the team, and Kenny Clark, in a week.

"To lose two big players and characters, they’ve been excellent for the team and with Ashmore as well, they’ve got that little triangle there where they trust each other and the centre midfielders getting used to that, it takes time.

"What is pleasing is that Yads, who hasn’t played a lot, got through 90 minutes and was excellent in the second half."

McMahon’s side have six points from four games while Maidenhead are buoyant following back-to-back wins over Hartlepool and Fylde. Dave Tarpey has already scored seven goals for the side who pipped Fleet to the National League South title last season, including all four at Fylde on Tuesday.

McMahon said: "We know how they play and they know us quite well. There will be no secrets between both teams.

"It’ll be competitive and hopefully it’s not 3-3 or 4-4 and no-one will have a heart attack!"