PORTLAND UNITED 2

M Buckler, Stewart

HORNDEAN 3

McMonagle, Howes (2)

RYAN McKechnie saw red after five minutes as Portland United lost 3-2 at home to Horndean in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

In blustery conditions, that meant that three of the five goals were directly from corners, the Blues fought hard, but fell to a loss which sees their opponents jump past them in the table having played a game more.

Goals from Max Buckler and Sean Stewart failed to cancel out a goal from Sean McMonagle and a double from Ash Howes.

McKechnie’s sending off came after a late tackle, which prompted a kick from the Blues’ midfielder and he received a straight red card as a result.

The first goal for the visitors came from a great move down the right, the ball was cut across and fired in by McMonagle from eight-yards out after 15 minutes.

Blues then came back into the game with chances through Jamie Beasley and Tom Richardson.

However, a corner from Max Buckler evaded everyone to go in directly as the Blues equalised.

The Blues ended the half strongly and came out firing in the second half.

A Beasley cross narrowly evaded Jamie Symes and Richardson.

However, Howes then scored from a corner, hitting the back post and going in.

The Blues had to withstand further pressure.

However, Portland were then able to respond with an equaliser, via a free-kick earned by Symes.

Beasley whipped the free-kick in, which the Horndean goalkeeper did not deal with and Stewart was there to equalise.

Yet Howes was there again from a corner, with a couple of minutes to go to hand the Blues the defeat in a cruel fashion.

Discussing the sending off, Portland manager Brendon King said: “That obviously didn’t help the situation, playing for 85 minutes with 10 men against a good side is going to be difficult as it is.

“The weather has not helped up there again, (it was) really windy.”

However, King praised his team’s performance against the odds.

King said: “It was a really good performance against all odds. We worked really hard, we went 1-0 down, got it back to 1-1, 2-1 down, came back to 2-2 and they scored in the last couple of minutes.

“I can’t take anything away from the players, they worked really hard.

“I just feel really sorry for them, because they put in a hell of a shift.”

Blues: Edgar, Bessant, Whyton, S Buckler, Clarke, Stewart, M Buckler, McKechnie, Beasley (Mitchell 80), Richardson (Bastick 65), Symes. Subs not used: Halloran, Godfrey.

Attendance: 133

Match Ball Sponsors: Anne and Charlie Bilke

Programme Sponsor: Cobby Gould

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