Baffins legend Tyler Moret makes immediate impression on US Portsmouth debut

The former Baffins Milton striker provided the pass for Dec Seiden to open the scoring in the first half before scoring the second shortly after the restart.

Moret and Seiden play for the same Portsmouth Sunday League side, Milton Rovers, alongside US midfielder Callum Glen.

Against a Newport side who had won four of their five previous league games, as well as knocking holders Baffins out of the Wessex League Cup, defender Tom Cain completed victory when he headed in a corner.

‘Tyler was fantastic,’ praised US boss Glenn Turnbull.

‘He made an impact as soon as he got on the ferry, mixing in with the lads and singing his initiation song.’

Turnbull decided to move for Moret the previous Saturday evening when he was sat in the Phoenix pub ‘nursing my sorrows’ after a shock home loss to Ringwood.

‘When I rang Shaun Wilkinson (Baffins boss) the first thing he said was ‘who do you want - Tyler Moret or George Way?!

‘Shaun said he’d waive the seven days if Tyler wanted to leave, and he was true to his word.

‘Baffins were very helpful.’

Moret started up front on the Isle of Wight with Andrew Todd unavailable. When he came off in the second half, club captain Tom Jeffes jumped off the bench to take his place.

It was a winning start to a big week for US. On Tuesday they travel to Salisbury to face another promotion hopeful, Bemerton Heath, in a league game before an FA Vase first round tie at home to higher division Bournemouth Poppies.

US are hopeful of bringing the Vase tie forward to Friday night in a bid to ensure Todd is available.

The striker is due to play for the Navy on Monday night and they have insisted none of their players can appear for another club in the previous 48 hours.

‘Bournemouth have agreed to bring the game forward,’ said Turnbull.

‘I know we’re playing Bemerton on Tuesday but it’s a case of needs must if we want to have Sweeney (Todd) available.

‘I could play Tom Jeffes up front, but I’d rather not.’

Moret is unavailable for the Vase tie after briefly appearing for Baffins in their defeat to Bashley in an earlier round.

Turnbull, meanwhile, was full of admiration for Jeffes after starting him on the bench at Newport with Cain, Harry Birmingham and Sonny Harnett-Balkwill making up the three-man central defensive unit instead.

‘Like a true club captain, Jeffers took it brilliantly,’ said the boss.

‘He came on for the last 20 minutes and then after the game he spent 30 minutes on his own in the pouring rain running and up down the pitch.

‘We had two young lads with us - Toby Toman and George Hopwood - and I said to them in the changing room afterwards ‘go out there and look at Tom Jeffes - that’s what it’s all about.

‘He was phenomenal.’