Baffins Milton Rovers boss warning against complacency in Wessex Premier home test against rock bottom Blackfield

Baffins welcome a Blackfield & Langley side yet to pick up a league point this season to the PMC Stadium on Tuesday.

The Watersiders have lost all six Wessex Premier fixtures so far, while Rovers are buoyant after a 6-1 romp at Brockenhurst at the weekend.

‘There’s no point doing what we did (at Brockenhurst) if we can’t follow it up with a positive result on Tuesday,’ declared Thompson.

‘I just hope complacency doesn’t set in. I’ve said this season that some games are a free hit for us - now this is a free hit for Blackfield.

‘In a way I would prefer us to be playing Horndean or Portchester because then I know the players would be totally focussed.’

Many Wessex managers like to talk of squad rotation in a bid to keep giving minutes to as many players as possible.

But Thompson admits there will be few changes - if any - on the back of Baffins’ biggest ever away Wessex League victory. ‘The lads deserve to keep their places,’ he stated.

That means the in-form front three of Tom Vincent, Kelvin Robinson and Jason Parish could be unleashed on a Blackfield side with the second worst defensive record in the Wessex top flight.

Langley have shipped 19 goals in their six losses, while only Alresford - who have conceded 28 in eight Vincent and Robinson have both scored seven league and cup goals this term, the same number as Alpay Ali who started on the bench at Brockenhurst.

Ali had never previously played Wessex Premier before this season, with the latter spending last term in the Hampshire Premier League with Fleetlands.

And Thompson only ‘discovered’ Vincent when he played against Baffins for Winchester City U23s in a pre-season friendly.

The striker wouldn’t have been on the radar of many Portsmouth area Wessex clubs, being based in Newbury in Berkshire.

‘If we hadn’t played Winchester I wouldn’t have come across him (Vincent),’ said Thompson. ‘It’s difficult when you have so many clubs in our area looking at the same players - sometimes you have to widen your outlook.

‘Tom was disappointed he didn’t score (at Brockenhurst) but he was excellent.

‘Alpay was disappointed he didn’t start (at Brockenhurst) but he’s come in and done extremely well for us. It’s nice to have options.’

Having lost their opening three league games, all at home, Baffins could leap into the top seven if they claim a fourth straight Wessex win on Tuesday.