SHAFTESBURY 3

PORTLAND UNITED 1

PORTLAND United suffered ill fortune at key moments as Shaftesbury claimed a 3-1 victory at Cockrams in the Wessex League Premier Division.

In a match with a dash of controversy, a smattering of cards plus high-quality play, Portland will point towards a poor start to the second half as reasoning for their defeat.

Up to then, the Blues had been well in the contest and enjoyed the better of play for large portions of the first half.

Shaftesbury’s Ash Pope blasted wide in the first minute but Portland gradually took a hold of the game, Riley Weedon going close.

His near miss was followed seconds later by Shaftesbury’s first goal, ex-Wimborne hotshot Aidan Shepherd finishing off Asa Phillips’ fine pass.

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Phillips had an effort cleared off the line and Portland duly capitalised on the miss when Matty Burrows pounced on Weedon’s cross with a calm finish.

Burrows was a thorn in Shaftesbury’s side all afternoon with his pace and stand-in skipper Ben Morris also fired just off target towards the end of the half.

After the break, Portland were undone by a controversial second for Shepherd.

The Blues felt Morris was shoved in the back in the build-up but play continued as Phillips played a one-two with Ben Satterley before finding Shepherd who once more displayed his ruthless edge in front of goal.

Portland’s Josh Williams was then sin binned for dissent and Shaftesbury notched a third, the outstanding Phillips smashing home from a tight angle after his initial header clattered off the back of away skipper Franklyn Clarke.

Williams, Morris and Burrows all saw chances go begging as Portland tried without luck to haul themselves back into the game.

There was late drama as Oli Lowes was sin binned, followed by a fabulous double save from Blues’ keeper Mike Edgar, who denied Cameron Beard and Phillips.

Phillips then had the shine taken off his performance with a late red card for dissent – the number of cards unreflective of the match – but his dismissal did not affect the outcome as Shaftesbury completed the double over Portland this season.

Speaking post-match, Clarke told Echosport: “It was a pretty even game, there was nothing in it.

“At 1-1 we were in the ascendancy and looked like we were going to get the second.

“They scored but there was an obvious foul in the build-up.

“Then Josh got sin-binned and he’s not sure what for – apparently it was dissent but he’s not sure what he said to be sin-binned.

“Their third, it hit me in the back and dropped to their lad who was a yard out. There’s nothing you can do about that.

“Take away those moments and it was a close game.”

Blues: Edgar, Thomas (Diaz 43), Lowes, Clarke, Poole, Williams, Burrows, M Smith, Borthwick (Walbridge 73), Morris, Weedon (Hewitt 61).

Attendance: 152