HYTHE & DIBDEN 0

PORTLAND UNITED 4

PORTLAND United continued their red-hot form with a 4-0 dismissal of Hythe & Dibden in the Velocity Wessex League Premier Division.

Kyle Critchell’s side have now scored 11 unanswered goals this week following the 7-0 win over Romsey in the League Cup on Tuesday.

And the victory, which included a stunning hat-trick from Greg Borthwick, takes Portland up into 11th place.

Borthwick now has an astonishing 13 goals in eight games, having scored in each match, but the Blues are in equally formidable touch in defence having bagged three straight clean sheets.

READ MORE: Portland United 7-0 Romsey Town - report

Borthwick was again the beating heart of Portland’s attacks and the burly striker had already had one effort at goal before he put the Blues ahead on 19 minutes.

Taking the ball around home keeper Mack Allen, it appeared as if the ball was going out but Borthwick somehow managed to chip both Allen and the recovering defender from an improbable angle for 1-0.

Hythe responded with a wayward header but Borthwick showed expert finishing again when the hosts scuffed a clearance into his path, the striker needing no invitation to score from close range.

Luke Gray blazed a free-kick over for the Greens before Portland bagged a third in the space of 14 minutes to take a firm grip on all three points, Ben Morris volleying home from 25 yards to send the travelling support wild.

Borthwick later showed why he is one of the hottest properties in the league with a robust piece of forward play on his way to making it 4-0.

He completely outmuscled his marker and then showed the ice-cool touch in front of goal to beat Allen for a third time, netting his second hat-trick of the season.

Ryan McKechnie twice threatened a fifth but found Allen in no mood to relent, while Hythe created little other than a skied shot over Harrison Bruton’s bar as the hosts were comprehensively beaten.

Speaking to Echosport, Critchell said: “It was a very professional performance. At times we probably weren’t firing on all cylinders but we kept to the shape and game plan.

“We ran out comfortable winners and that’s a really good sign going forward.

“We were surprised by the margin but we did our homework and we were able to use that plan to a tee. It’s worked out fantastically well for us.”

On Borthwick, who has already matched his 13 goals from last season, Critchell added: “He’s someone I’m incredibly proud of.

“We’ve worked extremely hard to improve his game but ultimately it’s down to him to put it into practice. He’s doing really well.

“That’s just the start, hopefully he can maintain those standards and hit the heights of maybe 20 or 30 goals throughout the season.”

Blues: Bruton, Harvey, Stuttle, Williams, Bessant, Symes (Callow 61), Wickham (Scott 75), McKechnie (Delves 75), Borthwick, Doyle, Morris (Sheehy 72). Sub not used: Lucas.

Attendance: 111