Kingstonian boss Alan Dowson has made good on his promise to address his side's defensive woes by signing former Ipswqich Town defender Jerome Sobers.

Sobers, who also spent a spell on loan at League One Brentford, put pen to paper on Friday night and is expected to be available for tomorrow's trip to Canvey Island.

 Dowson had vowed to bring in defensive reinforcements after watching his men concede four goals for the second week in succession last weekend.
 

Ks crashed out of the FA Trophy after a 4-0 home defeat to Blue Square Premier side Dartford at the weekend after last week’s 4-0 reverse at struggling Thurrock.
 

It could have been different had Andre McCollin scored an early penalty and  Simon Huckle not received his marching orders on the half hour mark.
 

But Dowson, whose side have slipped out of the Ryman Premier League top five due to their recent form and Trophy run, knows his sides Achilles heel remains at the back.

And he is adamant it will be put right for Saturday’s trip to Canvey Island.
 

“When you play big games like this you have to take your chances.  The penalty miss cost us and the sending off changed the game,” said Dowson on Wednesday.
 

“It is all about the league now. We have to get back in the top five and stay there.
 

“I need to get a defender in – any kind of defender – and I’m on the phone at the minute trying to get one in.
 

“My defenders say I keep blaming the back four, but who else can I blame when you see the type of goals we are letting in?”
 

“This has got to be a quick fix before we slip out of contention and we are looking at how the whole team defends, from the front to the back.
 

“We’ve got good players at the club and it is a case of getting the couple of wins that will push us up the table and give our confidence a boost.”
 

Dowson has already added former Carshalton Athletic midfielder Lewis Taylor and ex-Havant & Waterlooville defender Jon MacDonald to his squad to help cover the loss of Tom Bird and Dean Lodge to injury.
 

Bird has been ruled out for some time with a hernia problem, but Lodge is expected to return for the trip to Essex.
 

“We have had some bad luck this year in terms of injuries,” said Dowson.
 

“Just when we’d got Birdy back and we think we have the defence sorted he picks up a hernia problem and he’s out for weeks.
 

“And then Lodgey has hardly been fully fit all season.
 

“We’ve got a bigger squad now and if we can get the pair of them fit they will make a big difference.”