GARY Bailey is keeping calm over Portland United’s recent dip in form and will not be pushing the panic button any time soon.

The Blues, who have been massively hit by injury problems defensively in recent weeks, have taken just one point from their last three league fixtures, conceding nine goals in the process.

Another difficult test awaits the island side when they travel to second-placed Moneyfields this afternoon (3pm) but boss Bailey is eager to stay positive and realises that results will be harder to come by in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

He told Echosport: “We had a flying start but the last couple of games have been difficult.

“It’s a case of maintaining our standards and that’s what we have been working on in training this week.

“It’s important we don’t get too carried away with positive results or too low from the results that are not so good.

“No one is hitting any panic buttons. If anyone had offered me what we have got at the moment at the start of the season, I would have been delighted with it.

He added: “If you take promotions and go up you put yourself in an environment where you are going to get disappointments, but you will get great enjoyment with the wins as well.

“It’s a strange thing for the players but it’s something they have to get used to.

“We are in a very competitive league now, which is where we want to be.

“Myself, the players, supporters and the committee have got to realise that the days of Portland just turning up and winning, or going 2-0 up with teams then buckling are gone now.”

Portland skipper Lewis Whyton is still probably a “week too early” to start a game for the Blues with his ongoing ankle injury, Ross Carmichael should now be fully over a chest infection however.

Shaun Bessant (knee) is still recovering and Ross Doidge, who has also filled in at centre-half this season, is out with a hamstring problem he picked up at Bashley.

Should captain Whyton and vice-captain Doidge both miss out tomorrow, Bailey insisted midfielder Alex Halloran will captain the side.