PORTLAND United boss Simon Browne expects his charges to raise their game away to high-flying Blackfield & Langley in their Sydenham Wessex Premier League tussle tomorrow (3pm).

Browne will lead his men out at the Gang Warily Rec hoping to upset the second-placed Watersiders, who lie eight places and 15 points above them.

But the Blues are in good form themselves, having defeated Baffins Milton Rovers 6-0 and Newport IOW 1-0 in their last two league fixtures.

Speaking to Echosport, Browne said he is looking for an improvement on last Saturday’s game, when a solitary Ryan McKechnie goal proved enough to beat the league’s basement team.

He said: “It will be a tough game for us. We’ll need to be better than against Newport but we did what we needed to do, we won and kept a clean sheet.

“Looking at the way we have played, against some of the stronger sides we have raised our game. I’m confident we can get something out of the game.

“We were a bit lax on Saturday but in fairness (the players) have raised their game when they needed to so I expect them to do the same.”

And Browne is wary of the Watersiders’ quality, with former Weymouth centre-back Sam Poole and ex-Southampton striker Jamie White on their books.

He said: They got players like Sam Poole, who’s been there for a couple of years and Jamie White is a prolific goalscorer. They will be a threat from all areas.

“We now it’s going to be a battle and we have got to be as good as we possibly can.”

Portland go into the game with fitness doubts over Jamie Beasley, Ross Doidge (hamstring), Sanchez Baker (ankle) and Billy Mitchell (hip).

* Balti Sports are in Dorset Senior Trophy action at home to Lower Parkstone CFC tomorrow (1.30pm).