Dover defender Craig Cloke has joined Ashford Town on loan in an effort to regain match fitness.

The centre-half, out for 15 months because of a serious knee injury, was due to make his debut against Fleet Town in Ryman League Division 1 South at Homelands on Wednesday.

Whites manager Andy Hessenthaler said: “Steve Lovell (Ashford manager) has got a few injuries at the moment and rang me to ask if we could help him out.

“Craig needs to be playing and I can’t give him enough minutes on the pitch at the moment. It also means we can monitor his progress up there and get to watch him as well.”