PORTLAND United boss Brendon King has urged the Blues to keep their “heads up” ahead of visiting lowly Christchurch in Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division action tomorrow (3pm).

King’s men have delivered largely positive performances in their past two games, despite losing 4-2 and 2-1 to Baffins Milton Rovers and Lymington Town.

Characteristics of those losses featured several impressive displays from the Blues’ crop of emerging talent amid a spate of regular first-team player absences.

King is also yearning for a rub of the green as he prepares to take his fourth-placed side to the in-form Priory, who are unbeaten in five games with three wins, in 17th.

He told Echosport: “They’re on a really good run, so it’s going to be another tough one.

“It’s just not happening for us, for one reason or another – that’s football. There were a lot of positives to take (from Lymington).

“Ultimately, we’ve got to lift them and keep their heads up and keep going because we’ve got some big games coming up.

“We want to finish as high as we can in the league, then we can worry about the cup final. It’s out bread and butter, what we work hard for all season.

“I’m sure if we keep plugging away, those balls that don’t bounce for you will start bouncing for us again.”

Adding to Portland’s list of injury problems are Tom Richardson and Richard Marshallsay, while Jamie Symes and Lewis Clarke are unavailable.

However, Ross Doidge (suspension), Jamie Beasley and Sam Buckler all return.