One Loan Keeper Out - One In

Vanarama National League North club Lowestoft Town have lost goalkeeper Ben Killip, who has returned to Barclays Premier League neighbours Norwich City following the end of his loan spell.

However, the Trawlerboys have acted swiftly to bring in Mark Smith from Sky Bet Championship side Brentford as a replacement.

During his loan spell with the Trawlerboys, Killip made ten appearances, keeping four clean sheets and claiming the man of the match honours in the 4-0 win over St Albans City in the FA Trophy.

Smith has recently returned to the Bees from his loan spell with Ryman League Premier Division club Hampton & Richmond Borough.

The 19-year-old, who signed a new one-year contract with the Bees in the summer, has been with the Beavers since late October.

He played eleven games during his loan and Hampton won eight of them, including the last five in a row, with the goalkeeper keeping two clean sheets and conceding just 11 goals.

Smith signed a one-year Development Squad contract in 2014 after a successful trial following his release from Queens Park Rangers. He had loan spells at Hitchin Town and Hampton – where he played twenty-two games and won two player of the month awards – last term and played eight games for Brentford’s Development Squad in the Under-21 Professional Development League.

The stopper was offered a new one-year deal by the Bees at the end of 2014/15, promoted to the first-team group and given a squad number for the current campaign.

He has been an unused substitute on two occasions this season and played several games for the Development Squad.