White-out

WARREN White netted a late brace to land Chickerell United the bragging rights over local rivals Portland United at Weymouth College last night.

The table-topping Blues went into the Dorset Premier League clash as slim favourites but it was the Chickens who took their chances to increase their unbeaten run to 14 games.

And with the two teams set to meet again in the Dorset Premier League Cup final this latest victory for the villagers will no doubt be another huge confidence booster.

Chickerell boss Maurice Welch said: “I am absolutely chuffed with this result. To win 2-0 against the team that are going to go on and win the title is a great effort and the boys were tremendous once again.

“The first half was a bit of non-event but in the second half we raised our game and as soon as we got the breakthrough there was only one team that was going to go on and win it.

“The never-say-die attitude the lads showed again was outstanding and it sets us up nicely for the rest of the season.”

The opening 20 minutes was a dull affair as both sides battled for possession in midfield with very few chances coming at either end.

Adam Linaker blazed wide from 25 yards for the visitors who also saw Alex Halloran volley over following a cross from Ross Doidge.

Linaker then found space inside the box on 41 minutes only to see his powerful strike turned away by a fine reaction save by Ashley Weeks.

Chickerell’s first real opportunity did not arrive until early in the second half when Dan Welch crossed for Andy Hall to volley just wide of the target.

But Portland still looked the more threatening side and when Weeks was caught stranded off his line they wasted a great chance to take the lead when substitute John Lamb struck wide following a good pull back by Chris Reader.

Reader was looking lively up front for the Blues and on 67 minutes he was just inches away from turning in a long shot from Andy Perkins.

Portland were becoming visibly frustrated and one lapse in concentration two minutes later saw the Chickens take the lead.

Ashley Smith dispossessed Scott Dixon on the right and when he crossed into the middle Andy Hall had a strike charged down only for Liam Beads to feed White who neatly slotted the ball past visiting keeper Nick Carroll.

The Blues immediately responded with an effort from Lamb that found the hands of Weeks before Carroll denied Dean Charles with a smart save at his near post to turn the ball wide.

The game was now flowing from end to end and after Scott Henley headed narrowly over the bar for the Chickens the Blues had a golden opportunity to level when Reader’s smart turn saw him run clean through only to shoot wide.

That proved a pivotal moment as only two minutes later White nodded in his second from close range after Charles had headed a corner back across goal at the far post.

Portland heads dropped after that and with four minutes remaining White nearly completed his hat-trick when he beat Carroll to a long free kick into the box only to stab the ball wide.

The Blues remain five points clear at the top but with title rivals Poole Borough and Hamworthy Recreation both holding games in hand boss Stuart Heath knows his side cannot afford to dwell on this defeat.

He said: “We are naturally disappointed to have lost at such a crucial stage of the season but as a team we will come back stronger and there is no doubt about that because the lads have got too much character to let it slip now.

“We had a good chat after the game and now we will try and put this setback behind us and get back to showing how we are the best team in the league.”

Chickens: A Weeks, Henley, Biles, Welch, Miles (Charles 60), Evans, Hall, Smith, Sibley (Roper 75), Beads, White. Subs not used: L Weeks.

Blues: Carroll, Perkins, Cranny, Clarke, Litherland, Marshallsay, Doidge, Reader, Halloran (Lamb 58), Linaker (Dixon 46), Whyton. Subs not used: J Dailey, P Lambert, Lane.