Paul Phillips says Matlock Town shopping list is now complete

But Town have lost Joe Bunney to National League Hartlepool United.

“That’s it for now, I shan’t be looking to bring anyone else in,” said Phillips. “We’re always looking of course but unless someone pops up that blows us out of the water, that’ll be it for now as I think we have enough cover in all positions to see us through.

Bunney, who can operate as both a striker or defender, joined the Gladiators in October, but with the Covid issues affecting the country at present, only played twice for the Gladiators.

Bunney, who had been with Rochdale, Northampton and Bolton in the Football League was keen to get back to the full time game.

”He wanted a return to full time football and we had an arrangement that if a full-time club came in for him, he could go with our best wishes,” Phillips explained.

“At Hartlepool he’ll be at a full time club getting a full time wage.

"We’d never stand in the way of anyone wanting to play at a higher level.

“The deal suited both us and Joe, it was just a pity that because of lockdown he only managed two games for us instead of possibly seven or eight.

"We wish him well, it goes to show the type of player we can attract to the clubs and if things don’t work out for him in the future you never know we might be able to have him back.”

There remains uncertainty of when Matlock will return to NPL action given the latest restrictions imposed by the Government with the majority of the league’s clubs located in tier 3 areas..

Clubs are presently considering whether to continue with the pause in playing and review the situation in a fortnight’s time or to play league games behind closed doors, the latter option having being vehemently opposed by non league clubs previously.This time however, clubs at Matlock’s level could be allowed loans to help them, as opposed to what has happened in the National League where the Government has allocated money to cover clubs’ potential losses through spectators not being present.