Baffins Milton Rovers keen to help AFC Portchester midfielder Steve Ramsey back to match fitness

The midfielder made his Rovers debut in last night’s 3-1 Wessex League Premier Division derby loss against Moneyfields.

Having been signed ‘on loan’ from divisional rivals AFC Portchester, Ramsey was booked inside the opening five minutes at The PMC Stadium.

The former Hawks and Gosport Borough regular went on to play 83 minutes of what was his first step 5 appearance since last April.

Baffins boss Danny Thompson said: ‘I touched base with Dave (Carter, Portchester boss) last week. I asked him if he would be willing to let us have Steve for five or six games. He was happy to do so.’

Prior to last night, Ramsey had made just two Royals first team appearances since returning to football after time out for family reasons.

After coming on as a 76th minute sub against Baffins in a Wessex League Cup tie, he then played the full 90 in a Russell Cotes Cup tie against Brockenhurst.

‘It probably wasn’t the best game to throw Steve into,’ said Thompson. ‘A blood and thunder derby, if you know what I mean. But that’s what he’s here for, to play games.

‘I took him off towards the end, he was getting a bit leggy and the way the ref was, I didn’t want to lose him (through suspension via a red card).

‘The initial agreement is for five matches. Whether it becomes seven, eight or nine depends on Portchester. They might want him back sooner but at the moment it benefits Steve and it benefits Portchester.’

Thompson has recently lost midfielder Brad Gale due to a knee injury that threatens to rule him out of the rest of 2022.

‘I was looking to bring in someone to replace Brad and this sort of fell into my lap,’ he added.

Ramsey should certainly add to his minutes as Rovers have three successive midweek dates coming up.

After travelling to Laverstock this weekend, they host Alresford next Tuesday in the first of three home Wessex League matches in a row - the others coming against Hythe & Dibden and Cowes Sports.

Baffins travel to Fareham on November 12 before hosting Thompson’s former club Fleetlands in a Portsmouth Senior Cup tie three days later.

If he is still at Baffins by then, Thompson will check with Portchester whether they want Ramsey to play in the PSC.

The Royals’ first PSC tie of the season comes at home to Hampshire Premier League club Harvest on November 22.