TEAM SOLENT 2

PORTLAND UNITED 4

JAMIE Symes bagged four goals to help Portland ease past Team Solent 4-2 and progress through to the third round of the Sydenhams Wessex League Cup.

Despite the margin, however, Portland boss Brendon King was not happy with what he saw from his side on their travels.

Portland had a good start and came through comfortably in the end despite being twice pegged back.

Portland got off the mark early when a Shaun Bessant cross was headed in by Symes after 15 minutes.

However, the Blues were pegged back when they conceded a penalty, Jordan Tewkesbury bringing down the Team Solent centre forward and Ethan Taylor fired in for the equaliser.

A counter through Ed Bastick played in Jamie Beasley whose cross found Symes who finished with his left foot to hand the Blues the lead again.

However, the Blues again conceded after 49 minutes to lose the lead as Taylor secured a brace.

Portland responded however and again regained the lead when Darren Watts played a great through-ball to find Symes who went one-on-one with the goalkeeper and fired in with aplomb to secure his hat-trick.

With five minutes to go it was Portland’s turn to be on the right end of a penalty decision.

A great ball from Alex Godfrey found Ryan McKechnie who ran into the box but was brought down and Symes needed no encouragement to slam the ball into the top corner.

There would be no late twist as Portland went close through Steven Walker and Bastick and secured the win.

King said: “I am happy with the result, I am not happy with the performance.

“We did not play particularly well, we were not as efficient as we should have been but we got the job done and we are through to the next round.

“We lacked an intensity to the game.

“We did not pass the ball as well as we can, we did not have enough movement.”

King praised Symes for his superb four-goal haul, complimenting the work that he has been putting in and was glad to see him get his rewards.

King said: “I am really pleased for Jamie, he has been working so hard for the last few games without getting any rewards.”

Portland are next in action when they travel to Hamble Club on Saturday in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division (3pm).

Portland: Tewkesbury, Smith, Butcher (Sharpe 65), Walker, Bessant (Clarke 65), Bastick, M Buckler, McKechnie, Watts, Beasley (Godfrey 70), Symes

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