Rocks Review: Two new faces arrive - and a third could follow

The Rocks have added Sonny Cobbs and Ryan Thomson to their squad - and could make it three new faces in a week if they pull off the signing of a player who helped inflict their only home league defeat of last season.

They are talking to ex-Crystal Palace starlet Ashley Robinson about a move to Nyewood Lane from Bromley.

Robinson, who can play in attack or on the wing, joined the Crystal Palace academy aged 14 and made his debut for the Eagles in March 2008 season, making six substitute appearances.

He secured a trial with Premier League side Fulham but angered Palace boss Neil Warnock by announcing it on Facebook.

Robinson also had trials at Hereford and Carlisle but eventually signed for Bromley.

Since then he has been on the books of Harlow Town, Concorde Rangers, Dulwich Hamlet, Eastbourne Town, Hastings United and Horsham.

He was Eastbourne’s star player when they beat the Rocks 3-1 at the Lane in October 2010 - their only home defeat of the league season.

The Rocks are hopeful of signing him but are unsure how match-fit he will be just yet.

Cobb is a former Brighton youngster who has also had spells with Sutton, Welling, Burgess Hill and Eastbourne Borough. He switched Eastbourne clubs earlier this season after a brief spell abroad, but Town have allowed him to leave for the Rocks.

Rocks joint boss Jamie Howell said: “Danny Bloor at Eastbourne Town has been brilliant about it. He has cancelled his registration and allowed him to come.

“The beauty of Sonny is he can play at left-back, centre-half or in midfield and he gets a few goals.”

Also joining is Ryan Thomson, a 19-year-old ball-playing midfielder who was on Brighton’s books and has had spells at Whitehawk and Hastings this season.

Howell and Darin Killpartrick see him as one for the future, but he - like Cobb and Robinson if paperwork is completed in time - could be in the squad as the Rocks host Ramsgate on Saturday.

They need a win to get back on track after Monday’s defeat at Whitehawk.

The Rocks have lost several players this season and unlikely to see top scorer Jason Prior again after he headed off for a trial at Newcastle, while defender Ben Andrews has been ruled out with a knee injury and full-backs Jon Marzetti and James Crane both have three-game bans coming up.

Get first news of the Rocks v Ramsgate on this website on Saturday afternoon.