The Rocks have been turned down by at least a dozen players since January in their quest to strengthen their paper-thin squad and make sure they aren't relegated from Conference South.

Now boss Michael Birm-ingham is giving up hope on that trend changing before Monday, which is the last day clubs at their level are allowed to sign nerw players for this season.

But he says he has every faith in the players he already has at his disposal coming good and finishing the job of staying up.

Birmingham has even lost count of the number of players who have turned down the chance to join the Rocks – usually because they are not offering to pay enough.

He said: "We've inquired about 12 to 15, not including the one or two we have managed to bring in like Duncan Jupp and Saheed Sankoh.

"There have been so many I don't know the exact number.

"The same theme that keeps coming up is money. That's the reason players don't want to come here and it's frustrating.

"They don't always admit it's money. There was one lad who lived up London way and he said the reason he didn't want to come here was because of the travelling.

"Then we found he'd joined a club even farther away from London and was sitting on their bench.

"His sat nav must be up the creek if he thought he'd moved to a club nearer home.

"But if we don't get anyone else, so be it. I know the players I have are good enough and committed enough to stay up."

Birmingham said it was not impossible the Rocks would add to their squad by Monday, but it looked increasingly unlikely.

They are waiting to hear whether they have promising young defender Joe Oastler available to them any longer.

The 18-year-old played superbly in Saturday's win over Weston-super-Mare after being released by Pompey.

But he was having trials elsewhere this week and is hoping to get fixed up with a professional club.

Birmingham said: "We totally understand his wishes but if it doesn't work out anywhere else for him, we would be delighted to have him here."

Monday's defeat at Eastleigh left the Rocks just three points above St Albans, who are in the top relegation slot.

Birmingham believes the final place in the drop zone may well be decided on the final day and said: We need at least three more wins."