Baffins put superb Wessex League defensive record on line in midweek Portsea Island derby with Moneyfields

Baffins goalkeeper Roux Hardcastle has conceded just four goals in his last 10 Wessex League Premier Division fixtures.

Rovers head into the showdown in fine form, having won seven and lost just one of their last 10 Premier Division fixtures.

Danny Thompson’s side - also through to the Wessex League Cup final - have only conceded four goals in those 10 fixtures, one of which was a penalty in last Saturday’s impressive draw at table-topping AFC Portchester.

Rovers are three points behind fifth-placed Moneys with each side having five Premier games remaining.

Baffins are bidding for a club record-equalling fifth place finish, with Hamble Club also in the mix to finish fifth as well.

If Rovers beat Moneys and Hamble beat bottom club Alresford on Tuesday, three clubs will be locked on 59 points.

Thompson is likely to make changes to the side that put in ‘95 minutes of hard graft’ on a heavy surface at Portchester.

That could see a return to the starting XI of ex-Moneys striker Dec Seiden and Tyler Giddings, who was left out of Baffins’ side at Portchester.

While Thompson had permission from Royals boss Dave Carter to play Giddings against his parent club, he decided against it.

‘If Tyler had made a mistake and we’d lost 1-0 it wouldn’t have been a good look,’ Thompson told The News. ‘It was the right thing to do.’

Moneys boss Glenn Turnbull will have to make a central defensive change.

Due to his side’s game at Bournemouth Poppies being postponed at the weekend due to bad weather, he is without Jack Lee.

Lee was supposed to have served the final game of a three-match suspension at Victoria Park, but instead will serve it against Baffins.

Adam Cripps, who played in last Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at Hamble, is unavailable and Turnbull is not able to call on Chichester’s Ben Pashley either.

Jack Chandler could be moved into a central defensive role, with Harry Sargeant - a Baffins regular last season - filling in at right back.

‘It’s not an ideal time to play Baffins, they are absolutely buzzing,’ said Turnbull.

Moneys striker Callum Laycock needs one goal to become the fourth Wessex Premier striker to reach the 30-goal milestone this season in league and cup action.

So far, Portchester’s Brett Pitman (49), Horndean’s Zack Willett (42) and Stoneham’s Duarte Martins (36) have achieved the feat.

In terms of purely league goals, Pitman (43) leads Willett (38) by five - but the latter still has a potential eight games left to play compared to the former Pompey star’s three.

Laycock and Martins both have 21 league goals to their name.