PORTLAND United boss Brendon King admits champions Sholing are the best Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division team “by a country mile” ahead of their Universal Stadium tussle tonight (7.45pm).
Sholing have coasted to the title after amassing 96 points with three games, scoring 108 goals and tasting defeat just once.
The Boatmen have also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Vase, agonisingly losing 3-1 to Northwich Victoria and coming within two victories of a Wembley final.
King’s men now face Sholing twice in seven days and the manager is looking for a “solid” display from his team after Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over Fareham Town.
He said: “They’re the best team by a country mile. League positions don’t lie.
“We’ve given ourselves something to play for now. We can take (Saturday’s) performance into it and regardless of the result, we can be more solid and build on that for the rest of the season.”
With the title sealed, King dismissed suggestions Sholing would now ease off the accelerator.
He said: “They’ll still be strong. They’re a good outfit, have good, experienced players – they won’t do that. That’s why they’ve won the league already.”
Portland will perform a fitness test on Crit Clarke’s ankle injury but Ed Bastick returns. Tom Richardson could also feature but Lewis Clarke misses out.
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