CHARLIE GRIFFIN has boosted his Cirencester Town squad on the eve of their 2017/18 FA Cup campaign by signing defender Matt Jones.

Jones goes straight into the team for the visit to Aylesbury (Evo-Stik South East division) in the preliminary qualifying round of the Emirates-sponsored FA Cup today.

Griffin has found his 16-man first team squad depleted by injury and suspension just two games into the Evo-Stik South West league programme.

Aidan Bennett starts a three-match ban for picking up a straight red in the opening game of the season, a 2-0 home defeat to Taunton Town last Saturday.

Ellis Dunton then picked up a nasty facial injury in the subsequent 3-1 victory at Slimbridge on Wednesday night, joining the more long-term injured midfielder Jack Horrell.

To add to Griffin’s selection problems, his experienced centre back Matt Coupe is due to miss the next two league games over the Bank Holiday weekend (home to Didcot Town on Saturday, August 26 and away to Swindon Supermarine on Monday, August 28) due to a long-planned family holiday.

“When I knew that Matt (Jones) had been released by Chippenham boss Mark Collier I was on the phone,” said Griffin.

“He won the league with Chippenham last season and had a full pre-season with them so he is ready to go.

“He turned out for Royal Wootton Bassett recently and we put in a seven-day approach to them.

“Matt is a natural left-sided player that we know well who can play either at left wing back or left of a defensive three/four.

"Having played at a higher level he is a quality addition to our group, particularly given the shortage of players over the next fortnight or so.

“Ellis has been glued and stitched and we hope he could be back for Didcot. And at least with three games in 10 days we won’t be missing Aidan for too long.

“Aylesbury will be a typically difficult early FA Cup tie. I watched them on Tuesday night, they play a sort of 4-2-4 system and have a couple of decent lads.

“But we will have Felipe Barcelos back as a fresh pair of legs after he missed the Slimbridge game through illness.”

Of the 3-1 win at Slimbridge, Griffin said: “They got in behind us too often and we have a few things to iron out there.

“But you have to score goals to win games and I was delighted that both my strikers (his brother Alan and Ben Whitehead) got off the mark.”