Steve Tilson says new blood needed for Canvey's play-off push (From Echo)

Steve Tilson says new blood needed for Canvey's play-off push

10:16am Tuesday 29th January 2013 in Non-league Football By George Thorpe

CANVEY boss Steve Tilson has reiterated his belief that they need experienced recruits if they are to maintain their play-off push.

Canvey included three academy players, Mitch Gilbey, George Cocklin and Tommie Glanville in their squad as they moved into third place in the Ryman Premier with Saturday’s 3-0 win against Harrow Borough.

Cocklin and Gilbey played a key role in the third goal, but although Tilson was happy with their performances, he was keen to stress the need to bolster his threadbare squad.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s tasty-looking derby at Thurrock, he said: “I think for us to be in and around the play-offs at the end of the season, we need to bring in some players. “We are so thin on the ground at the moment it is unbelievable.

“It isn’t squad players we need either; we need to bring in players who are looking to start in the side.

“It is tough as we need to bring in the right ones with the right attitude.

“I have tried to bring a couple in but lost them to other clubs, but it is when you’re going well that you need to make improvements.”

The former Southend United boss said he has two main areas he wants to strengthen.

He said: “We need to add another forward because at the moment we have Bradley [Woods-Garness] and Jay [Curran], and if we lose one of them then we are in trouble.

“We maybe need to bring in another player into the middle of the park because [Kevin] Dobinson can’t play midweek because of work commitments and James Hawes has been carrying an injury for a couple of weeks.

“It was an ideal scenario today to play the academy players as we were looking comfortable. “They [Gilbey & Cocklin] both did well, but I still feel we need one or two starters to come in.”