JUST when Cirencester Town boss Brian Hughes started to need more than the fingers on two hands to count his first team squad two more have joined the injury list.

James Mortimer-Jones and Zack Kotwica have both ruled themselves out of the trip to Frome for the Southern Premier clash on Wednesday night.

They join Ian Herring, Gethin Jones, Ellis Dunton, Ben Brown and Josh Parsons on the sidelines. All seven would walk straight into the Cirencester Town starting line-up.

For Hughes, the latest hospital bulletin has taken the shine off both his excellent transfer business last week, which saw him bring in three new players, and the subsequent excellent three points at St Neots Town on Saturday.

“Jonah (Mortimer-Jones) has been carrying a groin strain for weeks, while Zack picked up a knock on Saturday,” said Hughes. “It’s not what I wanted to hear on a Monday.”

But he was delighted by the displays of his three signings – former Town captain Shayne Anson, midfielder Adam Connolly and Cheltenham Town loanee Jamal Lawrence – all of whom played their part in Saturday’s win.

“Shayne is a good footballer and one of the nicest lads I have ever worked with,” said Hughes. “I never wanted him to leave the club in the first place.

“Adam is a non contract player so he can sign for us and Gloucester City. He doesn’t seem to be part of their plans at the moment but he came in, made us pass the ball on Saturday, and seemed happy with the situation.

“Jamal is a much-needed boost to our numbers and came on for the last half-hour at St Neots.

“It’s a tough place to go because they are strong and direct and they shaded the first half. But I told our lads at half-time they had not gone all that way not to give it a go and we had the better of things in the second half “Picking up the three points and then listening to them singing on the coach trip home made all the hard work last week worth it.”