by Steve Tervet

Ebbsfleet make their long-awaited return to the small screen on Friday night when they host Macclesfield live on Premier Sports.

The Fleet’s last televised game was their dramatic 3-2 FA Cup first round replay defeat at home to AFC Wimbledon, more than two years ago.

However, they have not played a league game in front of the live cameras since Premier Sports won the rights to screen Blue Square Bet Premier football in 2010.

"It’s good for the club and it’s been a long time coming," said Fleet manager Liam Daish, pictured. "We didn’t get anything last year from TV."

Daish will be hoping his players rise to the occasion as they scrap to stay in touch with the teams immediately above them. Bottom of the table and having not played competitively in almost three weeks, Ebbsfleet urgently need to halt a seven-game winless streak.

Their cause has been bolstered by the arrival of left-back Gareth Gwillim, recently released by Sutton, but they will be without Ashley Carew as he begins a three-game ban for a straight red card at Woking on January 13.