Baffins Milton Rovers boss ‘looking for a reaction’ in Wessex Premier League trip to Horndean

Rovers’ unbeaten start to the league season ended when they crashed to a 4-0 defeat to Hamworthy at the weekend.

‘It wasn’t a 4-0 game, but when you’ve had a result like that you need a reaction and I’ll be looking for one at Horndean,’ Wilkinson said.

‘It’s a tough game, they are one of the top four sides in the league. I have a lot of respect for Michael Birmingham, he’s been there for four years, he knows how to win games at this level.

‘Horndean are well organised and they know how to play their slope brilliantly, which is something we need to be mindful of.’

Both Robbie Taw and Tommy Tierney left The PMC Stadium in the close season to join Horndean.

They were both among the goals as Horndean won their first three league games, though they have since suffered back-to-back losses at Christchurch (3-0) and Bashley (1-0).

Tierney misses Tuesday’s game through injury, though, while Taw comes back into the squad after being unavailable at Bashley.

Deans left-back Liam Bush was also unavailable in the New Forest, so Birmingham handed Ryan Helmkey, a summer signing from Andover Town, his competitive debut.

Barffins midfielder James Cowan was a ‘massive’ loss against Hamworthy, but he returns after illness to the squad.

Midfielder George Way and defender Adam Brice are also in contention for their first starts of 2020/21 after being on the bench at the weekend.

‘One of them could start, it might be asking too much to bring both straight in,’ said Wilkinson.

‘Ideally they would have a few games in the reserves, but we haven’t got a reserve team this season.

‘That means you either throw them in, sink or swim time, or ease them in gradually.

‘We’ve got a few more options now. After our second half performance at the weekend I don’t think anyone could moan if they were on the bench on Tuesday.’

Wilkinson added: ‘We’re a work in progress. We’re lacking consistency, but that’s why these players are at this level.

‘We seem to need to score first to play well. Good sides can go a goal down but regroup and come back.

‘We did ok for 60 minutes at the weekend but once they scored we looked a completely different side, a bit naive, a bit inexperienced.’

Birmingham said: ‘It should be an entertaining game. We know Baffins will be in our faces, it will be frantic - we will just need to be brave.

‘We created enough chances at Bashley to win two games, so I’ll just be looking for a bit more quality in the final third.’

The last time Horndean and Baffins met was in January 2019, the teams drawing 1-1 at The PMC Stadium.

They will be playing each other at least three times this season, though; in addition to two league matches, they also clash in a Portsmouth Senior Cup semi-final held over from last season on November 11.

The winners will face Moneyfields or Fareham Town in the final.

Baffins, meanwhile, have never beaten Horndean in a Wessex Premier game. They lost 2-0 at Five Heads Park in both 2017/18 and the following season, while the Deans won 501 at The PMC Stadium in their first-ever meeting in August 2017.

Miles Everett and Harry Jackson both scored twice that night.