Boreham Wood have made Ebbsfleet United goalkeeper Preston Edwards their sixth summer signing on a season-long loan deal from the National League South side.

Edwards, 25, joins Wood as a rival to James Russell for the number one shirt at Meadow Park and will provide genuine competition for his starting berth.

Speaking to the club website, boss Ian Allinson said: “Preston was available at a price I felt we could afford. I’ve always liked him as a keeper, as a character and as a someone who commands his back four.

“All keepers need to be given the confidence and encouragement to perform and not worry too much about the odd mistake.

"Though I was happy to go with just one keeper in the Conference South, that is now not the case with the transfer window that operates in the National League.

“I really do need two very good keepers at a certain level to compete with each other, Rusty Russell and Preston Edwards will give me that and I think they will both improve for the experience."

Edwards began his professional career with Millwall but left the Lions in 2009 to join Grays Athletic. After a season with Grays he moved to Kent and Ebbsfleet in 2010.

In five years at Stonebridge Road, Edwards made more than 200 appearances for the Fleet but has now found himself surplus to requirements, despite only signing a new deal with the club last season.