HAMPSHIRE will look to resist Kent’s determination to erase the memory of last year’s rout on the Isle of Wight when they travel to Sevenoaks this weekend for their second South East League match of the season.

Fresh from their 10.5-1.5 win over Dorset at Brokenhurst Manor two weeks ago, captain Colin Roope has made three changes to his eight-man team.

The Blackmoor member has recalled Rowlands Castle’s Tom Robson, who missed the opening game after a minor op, in place of clubmate Billy McKenzie.

Last year’s Spanish Amateur champion will be in France trying to emulate clubmate Darren Wright’s runner-up spot at the French Amateur Strokeplay back in 2009.

Such is the quality of the players available to Roope that Hayling’s Toby Burden and Blackmoor’s Sam Parsons – who lost that solitary point in the foursomes – make way for returning US college student George Saunders and Stoneham’s Alex Talbot, who missed the season opener.

Roope said: “I was delighted with the result against Dorset, especially because of the work we put into the preparation. “After the Channel Islands match at Brokenhurst a fortnight earlier, we got the head greenkeeper to set up some tees and pin positions that played to our strengths.

“Kent will be a much tougher proposition, and they will be very keen to get revenge for a year ago.”

Roope hopes the return of Robson, Talbot and Saunders will strengthen his side despite the loss of McKenzie.

The likeable skipper, who became captain at the start of 2018, added: “We have lost three times in a row to Kent away from home.

“Again we will look to prepare properly – we will spend Saturday practising at Redlibbets with our coach Simon Andrews, working on our course management for Sunday’s singles and foursomes, which worked well at Brok.

“I think the level of detail we have gone into in our preparation has been reflected in results.

“Since winning the English County Championship in 2017, we have been unbeaten in the South Division – and reached the South East final for the first time since 2012.

“I wanted to win our division last year and even though we lost to Essex in the final, with a relatively new team because of the college players going back, our record speaks for itself.

“The fact we have won our first home game for the last two seasons by 10.5-1.5 shows how good we can be.

“And with Talbot and Owen Grimes both breaking the course record at Hockley in the Delhi Cup at the weekend, and George’s form in the States, I am as confident as I can be without getting carried away.

“We won’t underestimate Kent for a second.”

Hampshire team v Kent: Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor), Darren Wright, Tom Robson (Rowlands Castle), Jordan Sundborg (Shanklin & Sandown), George Saunders (Lee-on-the-Solent), Alex Talbot, Ryan Moody and Owen Grimes (Stoneham). Travelling reserve: Toby Burden (Hayling).