DOWNTON 0 Portland UNITED 2

PORTLAND broke their Sydenham Wessex League duck last night and their first points of the season put daylight between themselves and the bottom of the table.

First half goals from Andy Perkins and Rob Maxted doubled the Blues goal tally for the current campaign at a stroke and fired them to a maiden victory against Wiltshire strugglers Downton - to the relief of manager Andy Mason.

"It was a very big relief I have to say," said Mason. "If we had lost against the only other side with no points, it would have made things very difficult for us because you then start to wonder just who you are going to beat.

"To be honest I would have settled for a point, but the boys were brilliant on a pitch that wasn't the best and we thoroughly deserved to win."

Mason switched to a 5-3-2 system and asked his wingbacks to concentrate on defending early on until they had sussed Downton out.

So it was a surprise to the Blues boss when left back Andy Perkins found himself well forward after only five minutes and raced on to a through ball and slotted his side into the lead.

"He shouldn't really have been that far forward so soon," admitted Mason. "But I couldn't really tell the lad off because he did superbly to give us such a tremendous start."

Keeper Paul Gadsby preserved the Blues lead with several fine saves as Downton - rated by Mason as "much better than their league position suggests" - tried to hit back.

But once they had weathered the storm the visitors increased their lead after 25 minutes when Maxted capped a fine performance with his first goal in senior football.

Played in down the left by Dave Whalley he held off his marker and shot across the Downton keeper into the far corner.

"After that we were able to relax a little and although they came at us a bit we defended well," said Mason.

Portland: Gadsby, Cullen, Perkins, Hegg, Bews, Rodgers, Whalley, Morgan, Mason (Doidge 74mins), Dailey, Maxted (J Turrell 80mins). Sub not used: Greeno.

* Weymouth's youth team made it through to the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup when they beat Evesham 3-2 at the Wessex Stadium last night.