Baffins Milton Rovers and US Portsmouth could both field new signings in midweek Wessex League derby

Baffins have signed Gosport defender Dan Aitken until the end of the season

Baffins are desperate to play, having had four successive postponements due to wet weather since their last Premier Division fixture on December 17.

And USP, who have played three times in 2023 already, are keen to get the 3-2 stoppage time weekend defeat at Bemerton out of their system.

Rovers have dual signed teenage defender Dan Aitken from Gosport Borough, while USP will look to get attacking midfielder Elliott Holmes involved in the Portsea Island derby.

Holmes, who is in the Navy, played nine times for Fareham last season, scoring twice. Previously with Hull City’s Academy, he has also played in the National League North for Bradford Park Avenue.

Baffins boss Danny Thompson fears his side’s month-long break could have a damaging effect.

The 4-1 win over Bournemouth on December 17 was Rovers’ third successive league victory.

Thompson told The News: ‘We were going well, we had some momentum. Now it will probably take us four or five games to get going again.

‘We had a training session at South Downs College on Saturday, it was a decent hour but the lads were blowing a bit at the end.

‘We haven’t been able to train on grass for obvious reasons.

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‘We’ve been on a 4G but they’re not cheap to hire - £95 for an hour - and we’ve done some fitness work in the Portsmouth University sports hall.’

Thompson said parts of Baffins’ pitch were ‘under water’ on Saturday, but providing there is no more rain Tuesday’s derby should be playable.

That is good news, given Rovers still have 21 league fixtures to play and there are only 14 more Saturdays in the fixture list.

Tom Dinsmore, who had a spell at USP last season, could make his Baffins debut on Tuesday while Dillon North has resumed training following a shoulder injury.

Aitken has been signed - hopefully for the rest of the season - to give Thompson a left-sided defensive option.

USP boss Fraser Quirke will add Bradey Norton to the squad on duty at Bemerton, as well as Holmes. But Luke Richards (groin), Vinny McGee (knee) and Simon Woods (knee) remain sidelined.

USP have already made one trip to Baffins this season, losing 3-0 in the Hampshire Senior Cup in September.