CINDERFORD Town manager John Brough has bolstered his squad but it is unlikely that any new signings will be involved in their Southern League Division One South and West clash at Sholing on Saturday.
Kyle Knott, a defender or midfielder who can play on either flank who started this season at Hereford United, has signed but is suspended for one game, while the Foresters are awaiting international clearance to sign former Swansea City youth team captain Matt Whatley as the centre-back has been playing professional football in Sweden.
Brough has also made a seven-day approach for another player, which ends on Sunday, and the home game against Larkhall Athletic next Tuesday appears to be the earliest opportunity for all three to make their debuts. Former Cheltenham Town defender Brough was pleased to tie up deals for Whatley and Knott, and he knows the latter well having managed him at Bishop's Cleeve last season.
Brough said: "He contacted me and will be a good acquisition - he can play in various positions. We needed to add to the squad to make it stronger."
Sholing are on a five-game winless run and were well beaten in their last outing at Yate, but Brough has warned of a backlash, recalling that it took a late Joe Turley goal to rescue a point for Cinderford when the sides met in a 1-1 draw in September shortly after the South coast side lost 7-1 at Merthyr Town.
After letting a two-goal lead slip in their 2-2 draw against Didcot last Saturday, Cinderford will be determined to bounce back to ensure the seven-point gap between them and North Leigh in the last play-off spot does not get any bigger.
Brough said: "We're looking to get the three points because there's a small gap starting to open up and we can't let it get much bigger if we've got aspirations of getting in the play-offs.
"They're on the back of a bad result, losing 4-1 at Yate, and they previously lost 7-1 to Merthyr but they react quite well to defeats so we'll go there knowing it will be a tough game.
"They came to us early in the season and it was a real tough match so I'm expecting the same."
Jacob Morgan was an unused substitute against Didcot and will come into contention after having another week to build up his fitness, but no date has been set for Garyn Preen's comeback.
Brough said: "We'd like him back as soon as possible but we're still picking up points without him, which shows we've got a squad good enough to compete."
