PORTLAND UNITED 4

COWES SPORTS 0

PORTLAND United swept past Cowes Sports with four goals in the first-half to seal a superb victory over Cowes Sports in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

Tom Bearwish scored a brace, while goals from Ryan McKechnie and Sean Zima ensured a rout at the Weyline Stadium that lifts Portland up to 12th in the table.

Cowes started on the front foot in the first-half as Portland took time to settle into the game but McKechnie opened the scoring for the Blues in the first-half from an Alex Halloran corner as he nodded in after 20 minutes.

The goal had been coming as Portland were raising the pressure on the Cowes goal but after the breakthrough the home side would not have to wait long to celebrate again.

Then Bearwish, five minutes after the opener, strode through the defence firing home from the edge of the box into the corner.

Portland kept plugging away after that and got further reward in the 38th minute when Zima smashed in from a Bearwish cross into the box.

Remarkably, Portland were not yet done in the first-half as Bearwish volleyed home from a Billy Mitchell cross to ensure the Blues went in at half-time with a four-goal lead to defend.

Cowes had the wind with them in the second-half as again they started the half well as they poured men forward to try and get something from the game but their pressure rarely translated into an effort on goal.

Portland still tried to extend their lead further as Bearwish went one-on-one with the goalkeeper who managed to save.

The home side were managing to attack but were keen to get a clean sheet, with them not having had one since before Gary Bailey took over as interim-manager.

The Blues were more than equal to the task and saw out a very one-sided victory.

Bailey said: “I am delighted, the lads played really well. We played excellently, we could have had more than four.

“We defended against the wind in the second-half and we were really solid.

“The attitude of the players was terrific.”

Portland are next in action when they travel to Fareham Town on Saturday (3pm).

Blues: Lillington, Smith (Jackson 70), Payne, Buckler, Whyton, McKechnie, Mitchell, Halloran, Okumu (Camp 75), Bearwish, Zima (Hankin 85). Subs not used: Bessant

Man of the Match: Ryan McKechnie

Attendance: 85

Match Sponsor: Lloyd Spracklen

Match Ball Sponsor: Dave Tremlin

Programme Sponsor: Sprint Signs, Wey – Neil Smith

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