Sam Denly is heading into the transfer market to solve Hythe Town’s defensive problems.

The Cannons have shipped 10 goals in their last three games, losing them all, and their defensive record is the fourth-worst in Bostik South East.

Hythe are the division’s top scorers but their goals-against record is dragging them down.

Manager Denly said: “We’ve had that group of players for a while now and the same mistakes seem to be happening.

“I’m not going to single out players and point fingers but it’s becoming a bit of a recurrence and a worrying one.

“It’s a stat we’re not proud of and it’s something we’ve got to address now.”

Hythe lost 4-3 at Whyteleafe on Saturday having been 3-0 down inside half an hour.

Denly said: “We won’t be getting promoted if we carry on defending like that. It’s just not good enough.

“There are things we’ve got to address and pretty quickly if we’ve got aspirations to get out of this league.”

Hythe fielded another new keeper on Saturday in the absence of injured George Kamurasi.

Ryan Nicholls, Aiden Prall and now Henry Newcombe have all deputised for Kamurasi since he broke his hand almost two months ago.

Denly said: “We’ve been unlucky with injuries this season and that’s not an excuse.

“George broke his hand, Ryan has broken his thumb and he hurt his ankle before that so I had to get Aiden in and now I’ve got Henry.

“You can’t get any stability in your back four if your keeper changes every week so that’s not ideal – but it’s not an excuse.

“It’s frustrating because we’re not far away but we are looking frail at the back and it’s something I’m going to address.

“If we don’t address it, we’ll find ourselves competing for a mid-table spot.”

Kamurasi is expected back in training after Christmas and Denly added: “With the addition of maybe one or two coming into the squad, it will help bolster us and shake us up as well.”