By Steve Tervet

Ebbsfleet face difficult decisions over how to make crucial savings ahead of a Christmas period which looks certain to stretch the club’s finances.

Expensive long away trips to Truro and Grimsby follow last Saturday’s trek to Barrow and Fleet chairman Phil Sonsara (pictured) admits December offers little festive cheer.

With Wrexham through to the third round of the FA Cup, their trip to Stonebridge Road on January 7 has been postponed. Mr Sonsara is keen to bring another fixture forward to that date, knowing a free weekend would leave Ebbsfleet with only one home game in seven weeks.

Financial perils have forced several of the Fleet’s Blue Square Bet Premier rivals into drastic action already this season.

Mr Sonsara says squad cuts could be one way to ease the pressure at Stonebridge Road but insists he would rather explore other cost-cutting avenues.

He said: "We’re having to juggle the finances and it’s not at all easy. We’re on a tight budget and I’ll be honest, we’ve got to make cost savings."

Full story in this week's Gravesend Messenger