PORTLAND UNITED 1

NEWPORT IOW 0

PORTLAND United secured their third win in four Sydenhams Wessex Premier League games with a 1-0 victory over Newport in a forgettable encounter.

Ryan McKechnie scored for the Blues in the 30th minute after a well-worked move to secure the three points as they moved to ninth in the standings.

The performance comes off the back of a 1-0 loss to Horndean in a rescheduled FA Vase first round match on Tuesday.

Portland were able to continue their good form from their previous league encounter in which they comfortably beat Baffins Milton Rovers 6-0 away.

At Grove Corner, the home side were happy to extend Newport’s league misery – the bottom side are without a league win since mid-September.

After going ahead, the Blues didn’t look like extending their lead as Newport continued to frustrate them for the rest of the first half.

Portland’s second half started well with the Blues managing to win a penalty in the 46th minute, but the penalty was subsequently missed by McKechnie to the frustration of their manager – their fourth miss from a spot-kick this season and second in two games.

The Blues improved in the second period as they began to move the ball a bit more quickly and began to get at Newport with more regularity.

After the match, island boss Simon Browne told Echosport: “It wasn’t a festival of football. It wasn’t anything to write home about but we got the three points.”

Browne’s men move on to 23 points while Newport remain bottom of the table with just seven.

Portland next face a trip to second-placed Blackfield and Langley on Saturday (3pm).

Blues: Lillington, Bessant, Butcher, Buckler, Payne, McKechnie, Doidge (Mitchell 75), Halloran, Godfrey, Clarke, Baker. Subs not used: Whyton, Morris, Smith

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