8:48am Friday 2nd January 2009
By Adam Summers
PORTLAND boss Stuart Heath reckons his players have what it takes to retain the Dorset Premier League title ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Sturminster Marshall (2.15pm).
The Blues have been in awesome form of late and are unbeaten in their last six games which have included wins over Westland Sports, Poole Borough and most recently Hamworthy Recreation in last Saturday’s Charity Shield clash at Grove Corner.
However, it is still tight at the summit with several sides still in with a chance of finishing top of the pile.
Heath, whose men sit four points adrift of table-toppers Borough in third spot with three games in hand, said: “Tomorrow is our first league game of the New Year and we are in a decent position to maintain our challenge for the title in the second half of the season.
“There are five or six teams that have ambitions to win it and it is very much an open race this season but I believe my players have the ability and hunger to do it.
“They also know what it takes having won it last term.
“We played really well against Hamworthy Recreation in the Charity Shield and our aim now is to continue that level of performance.
“We have played all the top teams over the past few weeks and now we have an opportunity to show what we can do against some of the lower sides which will be just as difficult.”
Heath is expected to make very few changes for tomorrow’s game but admits that competition for places is continuing to hot up.
He added: “We have around 18 players at the club that are all capable of playing first-team football and you need that sort of strength in depth if you want to be successful.
“If players come in and do well then they will stay in the team and it will be up to the others to take their chance when they get it and work hard in training to get back in.
“Sam Clarke remains sidelined with an arm injury, and John Litherland (back) and Nick Carroll (shoulder) are also still out while Matt White is away so tomorrow we will be taking a very similar squad to the one that faced Hamworthy last Saturday.”
Blues (from): Rutland, Cranny, Perkins, Whyton, Lamb, Marshallsay, Halloran, Doidge, Reader, Ross-Jennins, Linaker, Jones, Anstey, Dailey, Lambert, Lane, Sharpe.
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