The return of two key Portland United players has been hailed by the club's joint manager Josh Hickman.

Greg Borthwick and Connor Callow are both set to be involved when the Blues visit Hythe & Dibden in the Wessex Premier later today.

Callow returned to the starting line up last weekend in the 1-0 defeat to Baffins Milton Rovers and earned high praise from Hickman after putting in a player of the match performance.

Hickman said: "Connor is a massive player for us, he is our club captain and it was good to see him back on the pitch, it had been a long time coming.

"But he was not suppose to be in the squad last week as we wanted to ease him in but he filled in at the last minute due to injuries and unavailability.

"It just shows his character to get the man of the match, he is just a fantastic character and it is great to have him back."

Alongside the skipper, the Blues are set to welcome back the club's top goal scorer Borthwick to the matchday squad.

The experienced striker has already scored 14 goals in 12 games this season and sits among the top goalscorers in the league this season.

But an injury sustained in the 4-2 defeat to Hamble in October has limited his game time in recent weeks.

The striker missed the Dorset Cup tie with Weymouth and then pulled up in the warm up against Cowes missing the game and the following two defeats against Millbrook and Baffins.

Whilst Pat Jenkins has performed well in his absence, Borthwick's goals and ability on the pitch is crucial to how the Blues play.

Whilst facing a late fitness test, Hickman hopes the striker will make the bench and bring his goal scoring boots with him.

He said: "Greg will face a late call, but it will be big to have him back, he is a big player for us.

"Pat has been exceptional for us since Geg has been missing and he was unlucky not to score last weekend.

"But Greg strikes fear into the opponents and he allows us to play in different ways.

"He makes poor balls look like good balls and he is someone the young team look up to."

Both players will be hoping to have an impact and turn the club's fortunes around after six defeats in a row in all competitions.