No easy rides for Horndean in 'most competitive' Wessex League Premier Division for several seasons

The Deans are preparing for their second home fixture in the space of four days when they welcome Alton to Five Heads Park tomorrow night.

Horndean head into it having been held to a 0-0 draw by rivals AFC Portchester on Saturday - despite Steve Ramsey being shown a straight red card for the visitors inside two minutes.

As a result, Birmingham's men dropped down a place to third in the table with Baffins Milton Rovers leapfrogging them after a weekend win at Amesbury.

And, with ninth-placed Alton visiting Five Heads Park next, the Horndean boss is expecting another tough run-out in what he deems as one of the most competitive Wessex Premier's for several seasons.

Birmingham said: ‘Alton have been outstanding. They’ve got great honesty, they’ve got a very, very good manager who knows his stuff, the boys certainly play for him - they’re going to be a very difficult team to play against.

‘They’re not going to be easy, there are no easy games in this league, this league is probably the most competitive it’s been for a good six or seven years.

‘You had Sholing and Sholing were outstanding, apart from those couple of years, it’s been competitive. This now, I think it’s a really competitive league.’

Horndean had both Tommy Tierney and Alfie Lis forced off through injury in the weekend stalemate with Portchester and they will have to wait to see if either are available to face Alton.

But Birmingham is hopeful of being able to call on some of the several first-teamers who missed the Royals meeting against Alton.