MANAGER Dave Webb has made signing a striker his top priority as he bids to get Swindon Supermarine back on track following recent hardships on and off the field.

Marine lost four players in the space of two weeks which included two front men - Kayden Jackson and Ben Whitehead - while the South Marston club have been defeated in their last three games, losing to Bideford in the FA Trophy and Tiverton and Yate in the Southern League.

And Webb has stressed the need to bolster his attacking options as Marine prepare to host Shortwood in Division One South & West tonight.

“If you look at what we've got, we probably need to add a couple of players. We've got to try and attract them,” Webb said. “We do need to add a forward, there's no two ways about that. Ash Edenborough (back) is probably not fit enough to be playing at the moment, but we're playing him because we have to.

“We probably need to take him out of the fray and then we need to try and find someone and bring them in. But that isn't easy to do.

“I want to try and target someone, they won't be in before Shortwood, but hopefully for the Red Insure Cup (against Cirencester, a week today).”

Short of options all over the pitch, Webb is being forced to return recovering players ahead of schedule.

Right-back Kyle Lapham was withdrawn half an hour into the 2-1 defeat to Yate on Saturday after a recurrence of an ankle injury, with Craig Curtis coming on for his first action in six weeks following a groin problem.

“Defence is not a selection headache because we've not got many options,” joked Webb. “We seem to get one back then lose another, we've got some big gaps to fill.

“Mani Randhawa's coming back from a long-term injury and our inability to train last week means we can't get people in.

“Craig Curtis has been out for six weeks, he's been forced to come on for an hour from the bench, when Kyle went down.

“We're putting people in positions where they're coming back too early, but we've got no choice at the moment.”

Webb is keen to see a response from his side against Shortwood, who are looking forward to a televised first-round FA Cup tie with Port Vale on Monday.

“We've lost three on the spin at the Webb's Wood, but I've said to the players that they have to put it right,” said Webb.

“They're the only ones who can do it. Shortwood might be distracted by the cup, but they beat Aldershot last week so they're dangerous.”

Elsewhere tonight, Shrivenham travel to Cheltenham Saracens in the Hellenic League’s Floodlit Cup.