Ebbsfleet United manager Josh Wright backs goalkeeper Mark Cousins after leaving him out of the side that beat Dorking Wanderers

Ebbsfleet manager Josh Wright has insisted goalkeeper Mark Cousins still has a huge role to play at the club.

The 38-year-old was left out of the side for Saturday’s National League South win over Dorking Wanderers.

Gio Bellagambi, who has played in all the club’s FA Cup ties this season, featured in goal as Wright kept an unchanged side for the first time.

It follows an injury-time error by Cousins in the Fleet’s previous league game, a 2-2 draw at home to Eastbourne Borough.

Fleet boss Wright was still full of praise for Cousins, who was the supporters’ player-of-the-year last season.

“I'll say Mark Cousins is more than a legend at this football club,” said Wright. “He's done everything that a fan would want in a player.

“He’s a goalkeeper who has won the league and (put in great) performances but he's a model pro and people don't see it every day.

“The way he is around the place, the way he conducts himself, his character, his personality - he’s superb.

“It was just the right time to maybe make that change. It wasn't to do with that Eastbourne goal and it wasn't to do with many other things. I just felt I brought a goalkeeper in, in the summer, in Gio to push Couso and challenge him.

“If I didn't give Gio that opportunity after playing in the cup games, I wouldn't be fair to him or to myself or to anyone and even Couso. It was probably the right time (on Saturday).

“Couso will be fine. He’s been here in terms of these positions before in other clubs and different circumstances, and he'll be back.

“Couso's got a big part to play in this football club. It's not about me thanking him or whatever else. It's just about knowing and recognising what he's done, and that will never go away.

“He's still got a huge part to play