Manager Ricky Marheineke is ready to ‘roll the dice’ in a bid to keep St Ives Town up.

Second-bottom Saints are five points from safety in the Southern League Premier Division Central as they battle to maintain their Step 3 status.

And Marheineke has shaken up his squad with the possibility of four new signings ahead of home fixtures against Biggleswade Town on Saturday, 3pm, and Hednesford Town on Tuesday, 7.45pm.

Marheineke has completed the captures of two new centre-backs in an attempt to shore up the third leakiest defence in the division.

The vastly-experienced Tom Hamblin has arrived from fellow Step 3 side Hendon while highly-rated Beckham Kennelly has been drafted in from Step 4 strugglers Wisbech Town.

Marheineke could make further additions with two attacking players on his radar and he has been handed a boost by the return of injury victim Jack Snelus.

"There will be new players arriving at the club this week," said Marheineke. "We definitely have two coming in and there is a possibility of two others while Jack being back is almost like a new signing itself.

"I'm not one to make rash signings, but the time has come to roll the dice in our situation.

"Playing football at this level is a part-time job. If people in other jobs continue to make the same mistakes and show no sign of improvement, they get sacked.

"We've showed faith in this group of players to improve and turn things around, but for many of them it has not happened.

"We are not doing enough defensively which is why Tom and Beckham have been brought in, and there is the scope to possibly bring in a couple of attacking players as well.

"We're at a stage of the season where it is vital we start to pick up results and I have to ensure we have the right personnel to do that.

"We need to be ready to fight for every point available."

Saints were beaten 3-1 at Stourbridge last Saturday when a familiar defensive failing proved costly as all three goals were conceded from set-pieces.