Catlin wants Portchester pick up... Passing game right for Deans boss

MICK CATLIN is demanding AFC Portchester cut out the costly errors as they host Lymington Town in the Wessex League premier division at the Blanchard Wells Stadium (3pm).
Mick Catlin wants errors cut out. Picture: Keith WoodlandMick Catlin wants errors cut out. Picture: Keith Woodland
Mick Catlin wants errors cut out. Picture: Keith Woodland

The Royals crashed out of the Hampshire Senior Cup at Blackfield & Langley in midweek.

Joint-manager Catlin wants the mistakes to stop on Saturday.

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He said: ‘When you make mistakes against the top teams they punish you.

‘We gifted Blackfield all their goals, the first coming inside the first minute which set the tone.

‘Also we didn’t cause them a lot of problems and that is something else we need to rectify.

‘Lymington are another top team but we have the incentive of knowing that a win will put us right on their heels.

‘We will be looking to take the game to them.

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‘If we want to challenge for promotion then we know that we have to keep winning games.’

Central defender Matt Page could return to the squad after recovering from his groin injury.

Horndean are determined to keep playing their football with the ball on the ground as they make the trip to Portland United.

Michael Birmingham accepts his team face a tough task and they will have the odds against them.

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‘Portland have only lost one in their last nine games and it is never an easy place to get a result,’ said the Deans manager.

‘We expect them to be tight, organised and disciplined.

‘Our principles remain the same and we will look to pass the ball.

‘I can accept being beaten so long as I don’t have to wear a neck brace or fall asleep after 10 minutes because we have gone direct.’

Central midfielder Jack Warren is unavailable due to work commitments.

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Fareham Town manager Pete Stiles is watching the weather closely ahead of their game against Sholing at Cams Alders (3pm).

‘In midweek you had more chance of staging water polo at the ground,’ said the Reds manager.

‘We need a couple of dry days for our game to go ahead.’

Scott Hamilton is out injured Rob Pittman suspended and goalkeeper Luke Douglas away preparing to get married.

Baffins Milton Rovers visit fifth-placed Alresford Town looking for points to halt their slide into the lower reaches of the league.

It is bottom versus top as beleaguered Petersfield Town travel to Andover Town.