Portsmouth & Southsea must change home fortunes

Captain Keiron Dunstan knows that needs to change on Saturday when they host Lymington seconds.

If his side are to avoid an immediate return to the Hampshire League they will have to end their home pain.

He said: '˜However you look at it this is a must-win game for us.

'In previous years we have played some of our best cricket at home.

'This summer, though, it has been the total opposite and it is difficult to put my finger on why.

'We have just not performed well enough at home.

'This has to change because four of our last six games are at our place.

'We need to turn it around massively.

'There is a need for a lot more application in our batting department because we have not been putting enough runs on the board.

'Our situation has been helped by a series o f injuries and unavailability.

'Hopefully between now and the end of the season we can achieve greater consistency.'

Dunston is boosted by the return of influential medium-fast bowler Jake Peach.

Top-order batsman Matt Benfield is likely to continue even though he is still recovering from injury.

'Though Matt might not be a 100 per cent we have to include someone of his calibre in such a vital game,' added Dunstan.

'We missed Jake last week and apart from his bowling expertise he is a great calming influence in the dressing room.'

It has been an up and down first season back in the Southern League.

Dunstan is adamant all the focus is now on getting the job done .

He wants his players to show they have got the quality needed to stay up.

The skipper has full belief in his team and they must show that is justified with a good performance on Saturday . 

A couple more wins should do the job for the team.

But they can't afford to leave it any longer and need to break their bleak run at home.

'˜As a team we know that we are good enough to be in this league,' said Dunston.

'˜Now it is a case of going out and proving it.

'˜If we can get a couple more wins under our belt then we should be okay.'