AMESBURY TOWN 0

PORTLAND UNITED 0

PORTLAND United have cemented their place in the Wessex League Premier Division for the 2022/23 season after a 0-0 draw at bottom side Amesbury Town.

This season, the bottom sides in each of the 16 divisions in Step 5 go down, along with the four worst second-bottom clubs based on points per game (PPG).

Amesbury can mathematically catch the Blues by a single point, although Portland's PPG is too strong across the 16 divisions in the extremely unlikely event of slipping into the bottom two.

But with Hythe & Dibden now 19 points adrift of Portland and only six games available to the Hampshire side, the Blues are out of their reach.

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Hythe's 3-1 loss at Blackfield and a 3-2 defeat to Alton in the space of four days this week has helped Portland consolidate their place in Step 5, along with PPG.

Hythe & Dibden travel to Portland on Saturday.

Portland could have sealed their spot next year in style but for some wasteful finishing – a gremlin amongst their youthful side.

The Blues had three huge chances in the opening 10 minutes as Joel Hewitt was denied by the Amesbury keeper before Matty Burrows raced clean through, only to fire over.

Hewitt then showed great athleticism to blast at goal, rattling the crossbar as the Amesbury goal somehow remained unscathed.

At the other end, Portland keeper Mike Edgar made a superb save from a free-kick but back came the islanders as Burrows came close again, seeing a shot repelled.

Hewitt was denied before the break but the hosts tightened their defence up in the second half, with Amesbury’s centre-halves leading the way.

For all their chances, Portland were nearly punished when Amesbury hit the post midway through the half.

In an entertaining stalemate, Portland pushed late on for a winner as a flick-on narrowly evaded assistant boss Sam Poole at the near post.

And manager Franklyn Clarke came closest to breaking the deadlock, fizzing a shot against the post in the 94th minute with Ben Morris shut out from the rebound as both sides were forced to settle for a point.

Speaking to Echosport, Clarke said: “When we first came into the football it was about building a young new side and it was about: ‘Can you stay in the league?’

“We’re very proud of the work we’ve put in to get to this point.

“Thank you to the boys for all the efforts. They fully deserve to stay in this league next season.”

On the Amesbury game, Clarke felt his young charges should have been more ruthless.

“We created so many chances, we just weren’t clinical,” he said.

“That’s something we’ll look to address next season. If we were clinical, the game would’ve been out of sight first half.

“Second half, again, so many chances. If I’m honest, the Amesbury centre-halves had more desire to keep a clean sheet than what we did to score.

“In terms of creating chances, work ethic and everything, it was all there. That was without Macca (Ryan McKechnie).

“His season’s finished with his groin, it’s quite bad. Josh Williams is out, Marcus Smith with Covid, three midfielders gone.

“Brad Smith was not well, so we were without four key players. We’ll take a point away from home, especially if it means confirming safety in this league.”

Blues: Edgar, Thomas, Hutchinson, Stuttle, Poole, F Clarke, Hewitt (Morris 74), Lowes, Walbridge (Cleaver 90+4), Sayers (Borthwick 59), Burrows.