Baffins Milton Rovers trio leave to sign for Hampshire Premier League clubs

Jamie White, second right, has left Baffins to sign for Paulsgrove.
Picture: Chris Moorhouse — Jamie White, second right, has left Baffins to sign for Paulsgrove. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Midfielder Jamie White, who hasn’t featured in 2021/22, has signed for a Paulsgrove side managed by ex-Baffins No 2 Steve Ledger.

Winger Callum Smith, who has made 12 first team appearances this term, has also dropped into the Hampshire Premier League Senior Division to sign for Fleetlands.

Centre back Jamie Clark, who has appeared seven times this season, is another who has stepped down to the HPL, in his case to join Locks Heath.

Defender Fuzz Kanjanda has also been allowed to leave The PMC Stadium after making just three starts.

In addition, Tommy Scutt and Jason Parish remain sidelined through injury, with Callum Dart, Oscar Johnston and keeper Konrad Szymaniak injury doubts for this weekend.

‘I’ve got one or two things bubbling,’ said Wilkinson when asked if he was planning to bring in new faces. ‘We’ll freshen things up.

‘I’ve only got a squad of around 16 now and that includes some 16-year-olds.’

Teen quartet Bailey Neil, Owen Pelham, Harvey Welham and Ethan Gee have all featured in cup games this season and Wilkinson said he would have ‘no hesitation’ in playing them in the league. ‘If they’re good enough they’re old enough,’ he reasoned.

Amesbury – bottom of the league when the last two seasons were ended early due to the pandemic - are second bottom of the Premier having lost 11 of their 13 games so far. Since their sole win, 6-0 against Christchurch last month, they have lost six in a row.

‘It’s a winnable game but they’re at home, their pitch isn’t great, the weather hasn’t been great … I’m expecting them to have a go,’ Wilkinson declared. ‘We’ll need to approach it in a professional manner.’

Baffins then face a run of tougher-looking fixtures with successive league matches against Stoneham, Bashley, Portchester and leaders Brockenhurst.

Parish, who suffered a hamstring tear in September, could be back for the attractive home game with former club Portchester on Wednesday, November 3. ‘He’ll want to play in that game but we’ll manage Jason correctly,’ said Wilkinson. ‘We don’t want to rush him back.’