BRENDON King has designs on going “one better” in the Sydenhams Wessex League Cup as his Portland United side visit Totton & Eling in the quarter-finals tonight (7.45pm).

King’s men were beaten finalists in the competition last season as Baffins Milton Rovers ran out 1-0 winners.

And, with the Blues now two wins away from repeating that success, King admits his primary aim is to secure the trophy.

He told Echosport: “It was a case of we felt we should’ve done a little bit better in the final.

“It didn’t quite go our way, but that’s a cup game on a one-off. We’d like to go one better this year, obviously.

“To do that, we’ve got to go to Totton & Eling with the right attitude and do the right things. It’s going to be difficult, so we’ll have to see how it goes.”

On paper, many onlookers believe Portland have been handed a favourable draw with the Millers currently 18th of 19 teams in Wessex League Division One.

King said: “When the draw was made you’ve got to be quite pleased. However, we’re away from home and we’ll not know too much about them.

“We have had a report done on them. It’s always a tricky one playing in the cup (against a side in) the league below.

“There’s pressure on the team in the league above, so everyone will be expecting us to win, but football isn’t quite like that.

“It’s all about on the night and hopefully we don’t have any more rain and it’s given a chance to play.”

King added: “We’ll be going as strong as we can, we’ve respected the competition. We respected it last year and this season.

“We got to the final last year and it’s something we want to repeat.”

Portland will be without Max Buckler (unavailable) and Sean Stewart (back), while fellow midfielder Ryan McKechnie will also miss out after sustaining an horrific bleed on the eye.

King said: “Ryan’s out. He got hit in the face in training with a ball from quite close range.

“I whipped him straight down the hospital because his iris went blood red and he didn’t have any vision in that one eye.

“He went to the hospital Thursday night and had to go back up on Friday. The doctor told him he wasn’t allowed to play Saturday – if he did there was a chance he’d lose his sight.

“He’s seen the doctor again (yesterday) and he’s told him he can’t play (tonight).

“He was supposed to be going away to Rome at the weekend and he’s had to cancel that to do with the pressure flying.

“It’s OK, it’s not life-threatening but he’s got to be very careful and go to hospital every two days to make sure it isn’t worse and his sight’s gradually coming back.

“Fingers crossed he comes through and he’s alright because, ultimately, that’s more important than playing football.”