BALTI Sports’ boss Marco Nott insists his side will take their Dorset Senior Trophy first round clash at Wareham Rangers “seriously” tomorrow (2.30pm).

Nott’s men were knocked out by Westland Sports Reserves, an outfit one division below Balti, last season but a run to the semi-finals of the League Cup underlined how valuable cup competitions are to the Weymouth-based team.

Speaking to Echosport, Nott said: “It’s a difficult league, so both cup competitions we really do take seriously.

“It was really disappointing last year when we lost to Westland Reserves – we were in a really bad vein of form.

“Last year we got to the semi-finals of the League Cup and it kept spurring us on. We’re in a better position now but we’ll certainly take the cup seriously.”

Balti come into the game having drawn 1-1 with Swanage Town & Herston, while Rangers suffered a staggering 12-1 home defeat to Gillingham Town.

Nott said: “They had a hiding last Saturday but when you play them they always put a good account of themselves, they’re an honest team.

“I do fancy us if we’re on our game and playing well. It’s never easy at Wareham, the pitch is pretty bobbly, so hopefully we apply ourselves.”

A sickness bug has derailed Balti’s preparations in midweek, affecting over two thirds of the squad that faced Swanage.

“There’s 10 lads from the 14 we had on Saturday. They’ve gone down ill with a sickness bug. I’m hoping it’s a 24-hour thing and they will be alright,” Nott said.

“All 10 didn’t go to training, but we still had a good number of the reserves and a few first team lads. Preparation hasn’t been ideal at all, it’s been disrupted.”

Karl Dean and Sammy Nichols miss out while captain Ryan Dovell (work) is a doubt. Charlie Kenderdine returns.