Whitstable joint-boss Danny Ward revealed the club were priced out of a move for a former Football League striker this week.

With Town skipper and top-scorer Ian Pulman banned for the next three games after a controversial red-card at Hythe at the start of March, Ward and joint-boss, brother Jimmy, approached Dover with a view to signing 29-year-old former Brighton man Nathan Elder.

The 6ft3in striker, who made three first-team appearances for the Seagulls before moving to Brentford, Shrewsbury and AFC Wimbledon, has also had spells at Ebbsfleet and Maidstone.

Danny Ward said: “He would have been perfect for us while Pully is out. We’ve seen our average gate increase by 50-odd this season but even so we just weren’t able to do it financially and he’s gone to Tonbridge instead.”

Pulman’s loss – and that of keeper Luke Watkins – to suspension is a blow for Town as they seek to close the gap on the play-off places in Ryman League, Division 1 South.

Saturday’s 2-0 win at Horsham took them back to within three points of fifth-place, having played a game more.

Three Bridges are the visitors on Saturday (3pm) and Ward said: “They are going well. They are a strong side – one of the form teams in the league.

“We’ll have to be on our mettle, we’re missing our captain, centre-forward and top-goalscorer and our keeper. They will still think they have a chance of the play-offs but we have the chance to knock them out of it.”