ROBIN Townsend reckons his side have “nothing to lose” in their DPL League Cup quarter-final against Portland United at St Mary’s Field tomorrow (1.30pm).

The Bridport Reserves’ boss believes the visitors go into the clash as favourites but has backed his men to come good on the day.

However, Townsend knows the Blues will be going all out to progress to the semi-finals as they try to make up for their defeat to Holt in last season’s final.

“I’m sure my players will give it their best,” he said. “They probably realise it’s the only thing they’ve realistically got a chance of getting some silverware from this season.

“We would have to go on a hell of a run and hope other teams slip up to win the league.

“Portland are favourites and we’ll show them the respect they deserve.

“We go into it as underdogs but it’s a cup game and anything can happen.

“Their team is full of good players but I think we are very good in certain positions and we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Portland manager Gary Bailey is without the suspended Alex Halloran and Ross Carmichael while Ben Doidge is unavail- able.

And, like his players, Bailey wants a return to action as soon as possible following the wash-outs over the last few weeks.

“Everyone enjoys a cup run and we are obviously keen to progress to the latter stages, but we know Bridport will provide stiff opposition,” he said.

“They are a good, young side with some quality players who always work hard for each other, so we will be going there fully expecting a tough afternoon.

“We are all desperate to play, as I’m sure Bridport are too, after the recent postponements but once again the game must be in doubt with the additional rain we have had this past week.

“The lads have trained well this week and are eager to get back into game action.”

While Portland and Bridport are going toe-to-toe in the cup tomorrow, Weymouth Reserves host Shaftesbury Town in the league (2pm).

A win for Jake Richmond’s men against the side that beat them 3-2 back in August would move them level on points with the Blues and third-placed Hamworthy Recrea-tion.

And that defeat earlier in the season is serving as extra motivation for Richmond and his players.

“We had enough chances to win that game and at worst should have got a draw,” he said. “We battered them for the first 25 minutes and could have gone 2-0 up but they hit us on the break twice.

“We got one back before half-time and had them pinned back in the second half when they broke away to score again.

“We scored late in the game and had a chance to get a draw but didn’t take it.”

Shaftesbury are 10th in the table and lost 7-0 to Portland in their last outing before Christmas.