BRENDON King admits it is not the best time to face Baffins Milton Rovers, as his Portland United team get ready to host them in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division tomorrow (3pm).

Portland, much like with their previous meeting with Baffins, are beset by injuries and unavailabilities prior to the clash.

When asked if it was not the best time to be facing Baffins, King replied: “No probably not, it is one of them, the cup final is just over a month away. Both teams are in the same boat, so it is no different there for either of us.”

The last time the two sides met it ended in a 3-0 home win for Baffins, with Portland having had Sean Stewart sent off for an off the ball incident.

Speaking of Baffins, King said: “They are not a bad young side, when we went up there a couple of weeks ago we were very short on players through one thing or another, suspensions, injuries and unavailabilities and I think it is going to be the same again (tomorrow) unfortunately.”

The contest will not be the last time the Blues face Baffins this season, with the Portsmouth-based outfit having secured themselves a place in the Sydenhams League Cup Final.

Rovers managed it with a 4-3 victory on penalties over King’s former club Hamworthy United on Tuesday evening, following a 2-2 draw.

King said: “Me and Reggie (Mark Carter, Portland assistant coach) went up and watched.

“It went to penalties, Baffins rode their luck a little bit in the second half, having a man sent off just before half-time, it gave us a good little look at them.

“They have got some useful players and they have got quite a young, youthful side as well.

“We will see what happens on Saturday and then the big one on May 6.”

Last time out Portland fell to a 1-0 defeat at Fareham Town but King fancies his side to not go two games without a goal. When asked if he was feeling optimistic, King replied: “No, not at all but we will just see how we go and we always fancy ourselves to score goals.

“We had a blank weekend last weekend, we did not score so I fancy ourselves to get a goal this weekend hopefully.”

Portland’s last win against Baffins came in October 2017 when then manager Simon Browne led his troops to a superb 6-0 triumph.

Lewis Clarke scored four goals, with Jamie Beasley and Alex Godfrey also getting themselves on the scoresheet.

Since then, ninth-placed Baffins have collected 1-0 and 3-0 victories over the islanders, who sit in fourth.

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