DORCHESTER Sports’ boss Ashley James is looking to turn performances into results ahead of a Dorset Premier League derby at Portland United Reserves tomorrow (3pm).

Sports broke a run of three straight losses with a 2-1 victory over Sturminster Newton United on Saturday.

James wants to “kick on” from that result with confidence in the squad high and knows his players will have to be at their “very best” to beat a youthful Portland side.

He told Echosport: “It’s going to be a tough game, they’re full of youngsters and good players – they’ll 100 per cent be wanting to beat us.

“We’ll have to be at our very best to get a result up there but we’re hoping (with) Saturday’s performance we can kick on from there and get a positive result.

“We need to put a string of wins together now and we’re confident going into every game.

“Over the last few weeks it hasn’t quite happened for us for whatever reason.

“Now we have to make sure we turn these performances, which have been decent in some games, into results and into three points.”

Sports will name an unchanged matchday squad.

Balti Sports, meanwhile, will hope to bounce back from last week’s 10-3 mauling at Merley with victory at Holt United.

Balti manager Marco Nott expects a tricky assignment, saying: “We quite like going to Holt, they’re a good bunch of lads and we always have a beer with them afterwards.

“They’re a good side and at their place are extremely hard to beat. They’ve changed their ways now and play a bit more football.

“We’ve played in the same league as them for seven or eight years straight and only had one success up there.

“It’s a tough place to go, especially after last week’s hammering. We’re certainly hoping for a reaction.”

Phil Anderson, Ricky Lane and Scott Walker return but Ethan Devaney is a doubt. Josh Houghton (unavailable) and Jack Jeffery miss out.

Elsewhere, Blandford United have the unenviable task of visiting reigning champions Hamworthy Rec, although Royals’ boss Jamie Haylock is unfazed.

He said: “We enjoy our games with Ham Rec – we never seem to come out with anything – but they’re always good games.

“I’ll just tell the lads what we’ve just done on Saturday: ‘keep your shape, work hard and enjoy it’. That’s literally all we can do against the top sides.

“As a player and manager over the last 20 years, I could count on one hand how many times I’ve had victories over them.

“We were the only side to take a point off them last year, so they’ll know what to expect from us.”

Blandford striker Sam Watson (unavailable) misses out but centre-back Elliot Manson returns after a ban.

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