PORTLAND United manager Brendon King has ambitions of reaching the Sydenhams League Cup final ahead of the Blues’ quarter-final battle with AFC Portchester at the Weyline Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

King’s men survived a penalty shoot-out against Tadley Calleva in the last 16, winning 4-3 on spot-kicks after an entertaining 2-2 draw with the central Hampshire side.

Now Portland face in-form Portchester, with the stand-out tie of the round pitching the league’s second-placed team at home to the Tangerines, occupants of fifth.

King told Echosport: “At the end of the day, we’re in the quarter-final of the cup. If we win, we get into a semi-final, so it doesn’t matter what cup it is.

“Us as coaching staff and players you want to get to finals. We haven’t played for a couple of weeks and we’re looking forward to getting out on the pitch.”

On the challenge posed by Portchester, King added: “They’re a good outfit, they’ve got some experienced, good players. “We beat them early in the season and they’ve got to come back to the island again, so probably not a trip they’re relishing.

“When they saw the draw they would probably have said exactly the same thing. They’re going to be saying ‘we’re playing Portland, they’re going well, second in the league, it’s going to be tough’”

“They’ve got an experienced guy in charge in Mick Catlin so I think if the weather behaves itself it could be a really good game.”

Portland are without Alex Godfrey, who has rolled an ankle in a work accident, plus suspended duo Sean Stewart and Steven Walker.

Shaun Bessant and Ed Bastick (both abdomen) and Lewis Clarke (ankle) remain injured.