PORTLAND United boss Stuart Heath is plotting a Dorset Senior Cup second round upset when Wessex League strugglers Hamworthy United visit Grove Corner tomorrow (1.45pm).

The islanders play with Hamworthy’s reserve side in the Dorset Premier League – they drew 1-1 at the end of August – and will need to overcome the two-division gap if they are to make it through.

And Heath hopes it will give him an indication as to how far away Portland are from achieving their long-term ambition of returning to the Wessex League.

“Saturday will be especially tough as they are two leagues above,” said Heath. “It’s a great opportunity to see what they can do against higher opposition.

“I feel we have the quality in the squad so we will be going into the game with confidence and I’m looking forward to showing we can compete with them.”

Heath is also hoping that it will provide a swift cure to any hangover from the derby defeat to Chickerell United at the weekend.

“Straight after the Chickerell game the players were talking about it,” said the Blues’ boss. “There’s no pressure on us, so we’ll go and enjoy it.

“When you play higher opposition you have to defend well, which we’ll hopefully do again this weekend and we have to play without fear.

“Sometimes we don’t play as we should do. We have a lot of talented attacking players so we need to relax a bit more and try to express ourselves.”

Liam Miles begins a three-match suspension so will miss the tie, while Adam Skelton is still out with a knee injury.

However, Gareth Morgan could return to the squad after overcoming a bout of flu.

Blues (from): Carroll, Cranny, Gary, Austin, Maxted, Dailey, D Skelton, Greatrex, Batchelor, Halloran, Whyton, M White, Godfrey, Charles, Wells, Morgan.