Ebbsfleet United manager Danny Searle reveals loan move for Football League striker fell through before National League defeat to FC Halifax Town

Ebbsfleet manager Danny Searle has revealed a proposed deal for a striker fell through just before the weekend.

Searle was keen to bring in a forward after injuries to Rakish Bingham, Nathan Odokonyero, Kwame Thomas and Dominic Samuel.

It left Dominic Poleon as the only fit striker at the club and Searle had agreed a deal to bring a forward in on loan from a Football League club before last weekend’s home match with FC Halifax. However, that deal fell through at the 11th hour.

“We lost one right on the deadline of trying to get someone done,” disclosed Searle. “We thought we had him signed and the loan was agreed.

“Unfortunately, that deal fell through at the last minute and it left us in the lurch a little bit as we didn’t have much time to do anything else.

“We’ll have to look at what we need to bring in, we’re looking to strengthen our front three so we’ll see what happens in the next few days. Hopefully, we can get something across the line.”

One new signing was Charles Ondo, who left Huddersfield at the end of last season.

He came on down the left wing against Halifax but Searle, who worked with the player previously at Waterford, outlined Ondo’s versatility.

“His career has been left-side centre-half, left-back, centre-forward and wide player so he can do a multitude of positions,” added the Fleet boss.

“He gives us a different dynamic in the front three so that’s why we like him.

“If we have to use him at the back, could we? Yes, but that’s not what we’ve brought him in for.”

Meanwhile, striker Samuel’s injury sustained at Braintree on Bank Holiday Monday has been confirmed as a double leg fracture.

No timescale has been put on a potential return but Samuel is likely to be out for at least two months.

“It’s a