PORTLAND UNITED 2

BOURNEMOUTH POPPIES 0

PORTLAND United earned a third straight win and maintained their incredible home form under Kyle Critchell with a 2-0 success over Bournemouth Poppies.

The result heralded all sorts of landmarks for Portland, with Greg Borthwick scoring in a sixth successive match to take his tally to nine goals in six games.

Defeating Poppies ended a six-game winless run against their opponents, while boss Critchell extended to 13 matches his quite ridiculous unbeaten home record in all competitions.

Who else other than Borthwick could have given the Blues a 14th-minute lead against Poppies?

READ MORE: Joe Wickham joins Portland United from Shaftesbury

The striker picked up possession around 20 yards from goal, bustled past the covering defender and lashed home past keeper Jakub Lewiarz for 1-0.

Brin Doyle and Ben Morris forced Lewiarz into good saves before the break as Portland dominated without adding a second.

Critchell handed a debut to new signing Joe Wickham with 28 minutes to go and Portland were still in control despite the slender advantage.

Borthwick was twice more denied by Lewiarz before a moment of brilliance from Wickham ended the keeper’s resistance.

Collecting the ball on halfway, Wickham surged through the Poppies’ defence before slotting past Lewiarz in a one-on-one just 16 minutes into his debut.

The brace of goals was enough to secure victory for the islanders, moving them up to 12th in the Velocity Wessex League Premier Division standings in the process.

First-team coach Josh Hickman told Echosport: “It’s all about the consistency and it was a professional performance.

“We defended well and I don’t think they caused us too much trouble, that was through our own doing. Our shape was good.”

The clean sheet was also Portland’s third this season and Hickman took time to praise the Blues’ defensive unit.

“All four of them were unbelievable in their own way,” he said.

“George Stuttle put in countless unbelievable challenges, Jamie Symes was heading every ball, Matt Harvey in possession really grew.

“Defenders don’t get enough credit and it’s not just the clean sheet, we look at chances conceded and there weren’t many that Harrison Bruton, our keeper, was troubled with.

“Like Kyle said the other day, we did our homework on them and I thought we carried that out very well.”

A final word went to Wickham on his debut goal, Hickman adding: “He was really good with a positive impact off the bench.

“We’ve known about Joe for a little while now and it’s really good to have him on board. He’s a player we think will really fit in to our system.

“He’s worked relentlessly, put in a shift and got his goal which he deserves.”

Portland host Romsey Town in the Velocity Wessex League Cup second round on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Blues: Bruton, Harvey, Stuttle, Williams (Scott 83), Bessant, Symes, Sheehy (Wickham 62), McKechnie (Delves 90+3), Borthwick, Doyle (Delves 87), Morris (Woolford 87).

Attendance: 180

Match sponsors: Skelly Construction.

Man of the match sponsor: Bourne Lifts Ltd.

Match ball sponsors: Nigel & Gina.

Programme sponsor: S&W Shellfish.

Mascots: Ridgeway Under-sevens.