On-loan defender Declan Skura admitted he felt for Ebbsfleet’s fans after their dramatic last-day escape in the National League.

The talented 22-year-old Wycombe centre-back was a key figure in the Fleet’s remarkable turnaround in form under boss Danny Searle.

But a groin injury forced him off during the first half of Saturday’s goalless draw at Boreham Wood – and he had to spend the rest of the game kicking every ball from the sidelines.

“I tried to push myself on but I couldn’t go any further,” explained Skura. “It’s much harder being on the sidelines watching than it was being on the pitch, I can tell you that.

“I was gutted having to come off. I feel for the fans more now, as watching from the side is not that easy!

“I turned into a fan for the last hour but the boys managed to get the job done which is brilliant.”

It’s been a tough few weeks for Ebbsfleet, who had slipped back towards the relegation zone after failing to win any of their final four matches.

But Skura revealed there was a calmness in the camp ahead of the crunch match at Boreham Wood, where the Fleet knew they just had to avoid defeat to stay up.

“I slept alright on Friday,” said Skura. “We’d had a chance to get safe in the last few games and I think we were on edge a bit in those matches.

“But in this game, we calmed down. We just played the game like a normal match of football.

“It feels great to stay up. From the position Ebbsfleet were in when I came into the club to where we are now, it feels fantastic.”

The last day of the season marked Skura’s final match for the Fleet. He was a class act in his 17 games in an Ebbsfleet shirt and, on this evidence, looks destined to have an excellent professional career ahead of him.

“I’ve enjoyed myself a lot,” he smiled. “I was sceptical about going out on loan because the environment at Wycombe is so good.

“But then I came here and the environment was better in some ways as well. I enjoyed it a lot.

“I’d played at step 3 with Kingstonian so I was used to men’s football but the lads at Ebbsfleet helped ease me in and it was really good.

“Danny Searle came in and didn’t know me but he’d watched a few of the games. He really trusted me, he helped me play my game as I knew he trusted me doing what I was doing.”