PORTLAND UTD RESERVES 3

SWANAGE TOWN & H 5

PORTLAND United Reserves suffered an action-packed 5-3 defeat in the Dorset Premier League against a resurgent Swanage Town & Herston side at the Weyline Stadium.

It was the hosts that started the brighter playing some neat football which finished with Billy Mitchell squaring the ball to Sol Roche who rolled the ball into the empty net.

Portland extended their lead on 13 minutes when Josh Camp found Lee Sharpe with a pinpoint cross into the box and Sharpe’s volleyed return found the far corner of the net.

The visitors were given hope as Paul Best capitalised on an error by Pete Cowne in the Portland goal just before half-time to make it 2-1.

After the break, Swanage equalised with a Joe Clarke penalty before the Blues edged ahead again when Camp’s powerful effort from the edge of the box found the top corner.

As the half wore on the visitors became increasingly dangerous on the counter attack as the game became stretched and were rewarded with another equaliser when Best’s strike found the net via the underside of the bar.

Swanage took the lead for the first time in the 80th minute as Elliott Parslow beat Cowne before Aaron Atkinson sealed the points on 85 minutes.

Blues’ boss Justin Faulkner said: “Obviously we are disappointed to lose the game, in the first half I don’t think they caused us many problems and we looked comfortable at 2-0 and missed a couple of good chances.

“Then we’ve gifted them a goal just before half-time and that’s given them the boost they need.

“It’s probably a different game if we go into half-time at two or three-nil.

“At any level you cannot give away cheap goals like we have and expect to get anything, which is disappointing seeing as we have kept two clean sheets in the last three games.”

Faulkner added: “We only had four or five players above the age of 20 in the squad. They are talented, obviously they will lack the experience of playing in adult football let alone the DPL.

“With how this season has gone we are able to give these youngsters that chance to get minutes under their belt which will benefit us in the long run.”

Portland host Merley Cobham Sports on Saturday (2pm).

Blues: Cowne, Sharpe, Hankin, A Butcher, Anstey, Beals (Norman), Mitchell, M Roche (Frost), S Roche, Wilson (Tennant), J Camp. Subs not used: T Butcher.

Ball Sponsor: Ray Collins

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