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ONLY TRIALIST: Keeper Martin Horsell

CHRIS McPhee and Ollie Tribe will be the only absentees for Weymouth at tonight's friendly against Portland United at Grove Corner (7pm).

New-signing McPhee has not yet trained with the Terras while trainee Tribe is unavailable but the rest of the squad, including trialist goalkeeper Martin Horsell, is expected to be present.

Weymouth boss John Hollins said: "A couple of the lads are a little tight and I will not be risking anyone but it is a good place to go for our opening friendly and everybody will be there except for Chris and Ollie.

"Ollie has his school prom while Chris is not with us yet. He has just got married but he will definitely be involved in a couple of our bigger games coming up.

"Martin Horsell will probably be our only trialist and I am particularly keen to see how the younger lads fare."

Portland will include three new signings in their squad. Andy Perkins has returned to the club while new boys Matty Jones, formerly of Weymouth Sports, and Jeb Gay will be making their first appearances.

Blues' boss Dave Kiteley said: "Andy signed Wednesday night and Jeb is a young left-back who captained Wey-mouth's academy side last season and has a lot of promise.

"We have also had Matty training with us and he is someone Brendan King and I are very excited about. We have watched him play a few times and we are looking forward to seeing how he does alongside the likes of Ross Doidge, John Litherland and John Lamb.

"It is a shame we cannot be at full strength but this friendly is a bit early for us really. But you do not turn down the chance of playing a club like Weymouth and full credit has to go to the lads for the way they have come back, got their heads down and worked so hard.

"Adam Linaker, Paul Lambert, Alex Halloran and Sam Clarke are all away on holiday while Callum Ross-Jennins is only in light training after a knee operation but what that does do is give one or two younger ones an early chance to stake a claim against a good side."

Heavy rain has battered the area this week but Kiteley is optimistic the Grove Corner pitch will be in fine condition for the game. He added: "As long as we do not have any heavy rain a couple of hours before kick-off it should be good. And with the new era at Weymouth and the players that John Hollins has brought in I am sure it will be a great evening for both clubs supported by a good crowd."

Portland (from): Boyt, Gadsby, Cranny, Gay, Perkins, Austin, Marshallsay, Lamb, Litherland, Doidge, White, Whyton, Jones, Anstey, Braund, Philbrick, Simmonds, Hutchinson.

Weymouth (from): Knowles, Horsell, Doe, Bygrave, Gaia, Sandwith, Mawer, Ironside, Frampton, Browning, Robinson, Williams, Coutts, Webb, Cutler, Reiffer, Dubois, Beavon.

9:57am Friday 11th July 2008

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