MALDON and Tiptree boss Terry Spillane is keen to bolster his squad.

And he says he is actively looking to bring in new players as soon as possible.

Chris Bryan and Frankie Everett recently left the club to join neighbours Heybridge Swifts.

Both players joined Swifts before the Boxing Day derby but an agreement was put in place that neither player would feature in the game, which Maldon won 2-1. Michael Toner also departed recently, in order to join Heybridge.

“We’re a bit thin on the ground at the moment,” said Spillane.

“Our first-team squad is down to 17 players, but I’d prefer to have 19.

“We’re actively looking to bring players in and we’re running the rule over a couple at the moment. Hopefully there will be some news soon.”

Spillane hopes his side make a strong start to the new year, just as they ended the last.

The Ryman League division one north side were unbeaten in the league since suffering a 3-1 defeat at Soham Town Rangers on November 9.

“It would certainly be nice to start the new year with a bang, as we ended 2013.

“We were unbeaten in eight league matches, before yesterday’s game, and the only defeat we’ve had in that time was against a Ryman Premier side, AFC Hornchurch, in the Essex Senior Cup.

“It’s quite a turnaround, from where we were at the start of November.

“We’ve rebuilt our squad a bit, in terms of players coming and going, and I’m very happy with the way things have progressed.”

Maldon's next match is a home date with Cheshunt on Saturday.