HAMBLE CLUB 0

PORTLAND UNITED 2

PORTLAND United claimed an impressive fourth Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division victory in a row with a 2-0 success at Southampton side Hamble Club.

The Blues had beaten Amesbury 12-2, Bournemouth Poppies 5-2 and Bashley 2-1 in their previous three league encounters, but this result was arguably Portland’s best of the bunch.

From the first whistle, Portland hit their stride and saw Bailey Rowe mis-time a header in the opposition direction to its target from a Ben Morris cross after 10 minutes.

But Portland went ahead in the 17th minute when Sean Stewart found Alex Halloran, in turn releasing Rowe who outpaced the covering defender before showing great composure to slot home for 1-0.

Portland forced Hamble keeper Rory Anderson into a magnificent save soon afterwards when Jamie Symes aimed a deft header at goal from a Jamie Beasley cross.

Hamble failed to seriously test Portland goalkeeper Steve Boore, whose only actions were to deal with balls into the box from the hosts in the first half, such was the Blues’ dominance.

Portland resumed in the ascendancy and Symes was unlucky to see another superb header clawed out by Anderson, while Rowe clipped the outside of the post from the rebound.

Josh Williams and Beasley fired long-range shots off target before Hamble threw caution to the wind in search of a leveller.

The Monks created numerous chances in the dying stages, Boore forced to tip an effort onto the post before Boore was finally beaten only for Hamble to rattle the upright.

In the 90th minute, Boore saved the Blues again and from his intervention Portland countered through Williams, who released Rowe into space.

The British Virgin Islands striker supplied Beasley who lethally finished a one-on-one chance for 2-0.

Portland were desperate to keep a clean sheet and Hamble’s pressure forced Boore into another brilliant stop, while Luke King and Symes both made heroic blocks to preserve the scoreline in Shaun Bessant’s 200th appearance for the club.

Speaking to Echosport, Blues’ boss Brendon King said: “We were outstanding. For me, it was probably our best performance of the season.

“One thing we did say was that we’d have to stand up and be counted. We’re away from home and playing against a big, strong physical side that are on a good run.

“If we don’t match that we’re going to come away with nothing. We did that with gusto and totally deserved our win.

“I take my hat off to (the players), they were outstanding.”

Blues: Boore, Bessant, King, Symes, Clarke (Godfrey 80), Williams, Stewart, Halloran (M Buckler 72), Morris (McKechnie 72), Beasley, Rowe.

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