Baffins Milton Rovers must defend better... Fareham Town aiming to respond... Horndean in shape

Steve Leigh has warned Baffins Milton Rovers they need to defend better ahead of their Wessex League premier division contest against Bournemouth Poppies at the PMC Stadium on Saturday (3pm).
Fareham's Gary Austin. Picture: Ian Hargreaves  (230319-11)Fareham's Gary Austin. Picture: Ian Hargreaves  (230319-11)
Fareham's Gary Austin. Picture: Ian Hargreaves (230319-11)

Since Christmas Baffins have leaked goals at an alarming rate and Leigh isn’t happy about it.

They need to get back to how they were doing when they were stopping opposition teams from hitting the back of the net.

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The manager said: ‘Up until Christmas we had one of the best defensive records in the league.

‘Since then though it hasn’t been good enough.

‘It was the same again in midweek when we lost 3-1 at home against Shaftesbury.

‘We keep making the same mistakes over and over again.

‘I can’t keep putting it down to naivety.

‘The players have to keep working hard at getting it right.

‘It is all about sticking close to your man and maintaining concentration at all times.

‘If we don’t then Bournemouth are the type of side that can punish us.

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‘They beat Hamworthy 5-1 in midweek and are one of the best teams we have played this season.’

Leigh will also be hoping that at the other end his forwards can make the most of their chances.

Against Shaftesbury they created enough to more than win the game but couldn’t take the chances.

Fareham Town host Tadley Calleva at Cams Alders on Saturday (3pm).

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Boss Pete Stiles was disappointed by the manner of their defeat against Brockenhurst.

He said: ‘We want to finish as high as we can which makes that defeat hard to take.

‘I have got a few big characters coming back into the side and that should make a difference.’

Gary Austin and Tom Settle return for the Reds but Simon Woods is unavailable for the rest of the season.

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Horndean manager Michael Birmingham is expecting a tough game against Shaftesbury at Five Heads Park (3pm).

The manager added: ‘They beat us at their place recently and are on a three-game unbeaten run.

‘I was proud of the way we played in the 0-0 midweek draw against Sholing.

‘Our shape out of possession was fantastic.’

AFC Portchester cross the Solent to take on Cowes Sports at Westwood Park (3pm).

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