PORTLAND UNITED 1

ANDOVER TOWN 1

PORTLAND United manager Simon Browne would have accepted a draw before the Blues conceded a late leveller to Andover Town in their Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division battle at Grove Corner.

After a goalless first half, striker Sanchez Baker had given Browne’s men the lead with 15 minutes remaining, but a Zach Glasspool effort seven minutes later gave both sides a share of the points.

Andover had gone into the game with a 100 per cent record but Browne told Echosport he “possibly” thought it was a case of “two points dropped” for his side.

He said: “When you look that they’ve won eight out of eight, and we’re the first team to take points off them, we would have taken it before the game.

“But I’d possibly look at it as two points dropped. We didn’t convert our possession into clear cut chances, but they’ve got some decent players and I knew it was going to be a tough game.”

Browne was left to rue a lack of creativity as Town became the fifth team to draw with the Blues this season.

“I was wary with the majority of possession we had in the first half that they might hit us on the break. I thought we controlled it reasonably well but we didn’t convert that possession and territory into goalscoring chances.

“We got a goal ahead through Sanchez but it was slack marking from us. We could have got tighter the way they brought the ball around our right side.

“When it was 1-1 they had a little spell where they could have got a winner. But Carl Morris came on as sub and could have grabbed the headlines but sent his shot wide,” he said.

Commenting on Baker’s contribution, Browne admitted he “was just about to sub” the forward before his goal.

He said: “We broke from midfield and Alex Halloran put Sanchez through one-on-one. I was just about to sub him. He was feeling a bit leggy and tired but he got a chance and scored.

“I took him off a minute later but had I made it a minute before we might have been talking about a different game.

“He’s done well since he signed for us. He causes players problems with his aerial ability and there’s a lot more to come from him.”

Reflecting on the concession of another late equaliser, Browne lamented a brief lack of concentration.

He said: “They moved the ball quite well and as a back four we could have been closer to them. It was a nice finish from the lad who hadn’t done much all game. That’s what happens if you switch off.”

Blues: Lillington, Smith, Bessant, S Buckler, C Clarke, Beasley (Morris 70), Doidge, McKechnie, Mitchell (Halloran 60), Baker (Whyton 75), Godfrey. Subs not used: L Clarke, Butcher

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