Liam Kimber expected to make Baffins Milton Rovers debut in Hampshire Senior Cup derby with US Portsmouth

The central midfielder is in line to feature against US Portsmouth at the PMC Stadium on Tuesday in the second round of the Hampshire Senior Cup.

Rovers boss Danny Thompson acted quickly to sign Kimber from Horndean once he was told Dillon North had been ruled out for the season.

North requires an operation after being stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder in the recent FA Cup defeat to Winchester City.

Kimber, who worked with Thompson at Gosport Borough, has made six appearances for the Deans this season, but was not involved when they beat Brockenhurst in the HSC last month.

That means he can take his place in a stronger-looking squad than Thompson was originally going to field.

‘Because we didn’t have a game at the weekend, we’ll need to go stronger (against US).

‘It’ll probably be the squad that would have played Blackfield (last Saturday), apart from Tom Vincent.’

The striker, dual signed from Winchester City, lives in Newbury so won’t be asked to travel down from Berkshire.

Thompson is taking the county cup seriously. ‘We’re out of the FA Cup and the Vase so this is the highest-ranked cup we’re left in,’ he said.

‘We’re taking it seriously, we want to go as far as we can in it.

‘You have the opportunity to play some decent sides - Portsmouth, Gosport, Havant, Eastleigh.’

Kimber, meanwhile, will become the 25th player to make his competitive Baffins debut this season.

‘Liam will bring a lot of experience,’ said Thompson. ‘We’ve got Harvey Wellham and Zak Brownlie but they’re only 18 and at the moment they’re not going to give you 30/40 first team games a season.’

Kimber made 13 league and cup starts for Horndean last season, plus a further 22 off the bench.

He started his career at Hawks, making eight Portsmouth Senior Cup appearances between 2014-2016.

He had spells at Fareham Town and Gosport before joining Horndean midway through the 2017/18 campaign.

Like Thompson, US Portsmouth boss Fraser Quirke is also taking Tuesday’s tie seriously.

‘I’m not one for rotating the squad just for the sake of it,’ he said. ‘I’ll take a squad I feel is appropriate for the fixture.

‘I want to be competitive, so we’ll be taking a strong squad.

SEE MORE: Down memory lane – 30 Portsmouth area youth football team pictures from 2005

‘There’s a chance for step 5 players to play clubs higher up the pyramid, so it’s definitely one we’re taking seriously.’

The only two first teamers not available are the manager’s son, Cameron, and Shaun Benjamin as the Royal Navy have first call on them for the competition.

The Navy were scheduled to play Christchurch on Tuesday, but that has been postponed due to service personnel being required for the Queen’s funeral arrangements.

USP’s only injury concern is Charlie McNally, the former Moneyfields and Clanfield attacker who has not played all season due to a meniscus injury. He is expected back within six weeks.’

Elsewhere in the Hampshire Senior Cup, Fareham Town travel to Winchester City aiming for sixth straight win in all competitions.

AFC Portchester and Horndean were scheduled to face AFC Totton and Bashley respectively in the county cup on Tuesday. But those ties have been postponed due to the Southern League clubs playing rearranged FA Trophy ties.