Ebbsfleet United manager Josh Wright reacts to 4-1 National League defeat to Gateshead and discusses Lewis Page and Luke O’Neill’s return to action from injury

Ebbsfleet boss Josh Wright admitted he had to rush back two defenders after illness left them low on numbers at the weekend.

The Fleet had to make six changes from the side that lost at Barnet for Saturday’s 4-1 home loss to Gateshead.

That included surprise starts for Lewis Page and Luke O’Neill, the former was not expected to feature until January but answered Wright’s plea for help.

“They’ve both had long-term injuries – Luke dipped back in but had a little setback and Pagey has been out for a long time,” said Wright.

“The truth is this was one game too early for Lewis, maybe two too early, in terms of the games that he should have been back for as we were looking at the new year.

“But I had to speak to him and lean on him and I thought he was decent in what he gave me. I know what he’s about and what he can give us.

“I know for a fact Luke wasn’t 100 per cent but the stuff he does out there for us is high quality and we’re going to need him. He’s a big player for us but I could only lean on him for a little while.

“There were other bodies that haven’t been, for one reason or another, near the matchday squad for quite a while and we had to use them while there were others who just weren’t themselves. It happens, not to this extent, but it does happen from time to time.

“That’s life, life is challenging and so is this but the only way you get through those challenges is to stand up to it and hit it head-on.”

Wright declared when he took the manager’s role that he didn’t want to combine it with playing duties.

But even that intention was in danger, with so many players struggling with the virus that spread through the squad.

“At one stage it crossed my mind,” admitted Wright. “My assistant, David Kerslake, said it to me