‘He’ll be a big loss’ – Steve Ramsey’s Baffins Milton Rovers ‘loan’ spell is over following Wessex League win against Bournemouth Poppies

The midfielder has been recalled by AFC Portchester after making seven appearances and scoring two goals.

He also provided the corner from which a Bournemouth Poppies defender headed into his own net during Baffins’ 4-1 win at the PMC Stadium.

Following a goalless first half, leading scorer Tom Vincent fired the hosts ahead with his 13th goal of the campaign.

Jason Parish converted a penalty before sub Joe Johnson sealed Rovers’ third successive league victory.

‘’Steve will be a big loss, on and off the pitch,’ said Rovers boss Danny Thompson.

‘He’s been absolutely superb for us.

‘But he wants to try and force his way into a side that should win the league, I get it. I appreciate he wants to give it a go (at Portchester).’

Centre half Tyler Giddings - also on ‘loan’ from the table-topping Royals - can stay at Baffins for the time being while he works his way back towards full match fitness.

Thompson said: ‘We’re not short of midfielders, we’ve got competition for places all over the park.’

Rovers have signed Tom Dinsmore from Chichester City, but the former AFC Bournemouth Academy midfielder won’t figure until January at the earliest as he works on his fitness following an injury.

Thompson is delighted that Baffins will enter Christmas in seventh place, one position higher than they finished under Shaun Wilkinson’s management last season.

‘If you’d offered me seventh in the league by Mid-December I’d have snapped your hand off,’ he remarked.

‘We also had a fantastic FA Cup run, beating Horndean, and we’ve gone the furthest we’ve ever gone in the Hampshire Senior Cup.

‘We’re under no pressure from the chairman, but I’ve got my own target. If we could break into the top six that would be a fantastic achievement for the club.

‘We’ve got Ryan Kennedy and Brad Gale returning to training in mid-January and that will be like having two new players.’

Baffins’ next game is home to Portsea Island rivals US Portsmouth on December 29.

As for Ramsey, he was due to feature for Portchester in Wednesday’s Hampshire Senior Cup trip to holders Farnborough.

But that game is now off as Farnborough’s rearranged FA Trophy tie with Braintree takes priority instead.