HMP/YOI PORTLAND UNDER-35s 3 OVER-35s 5

EXPERIENCE overcame youth for the third year running as the Over-35s from Portland’s Young Offenders’ Institution (YOI) beat the Under-35s 5-3 at Grove Corner.

The match was held in aid of Scarlett Russ, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, and raised £1,248, a figure assisted by a £350 donation from the Prison Charity Fund, match sponsors The Real Estate Bureau and match programme sponsors Tom & Erin’s Ice Cream Parlour.

Despite the misty and windy weather the game was well-supported with Scarlett’s dad Colin presenting Over-35s’ keeper Paul Homer with the Elaine Legg Memorial Trophy for his man of the match display.

Overs’ midfielder Brian Churchill scored inside three minutes with a wind-assisted free-kick from the halfway line before Dave Locke-White doubled the lead with a neat finish.

Brian Leneghan rounded Homer to halve the deficit but a Mark Ward strike and Craig Hughes’ deflected effort put the Overs 4-1 up at the break.

Dan Skelton made it 4-2 with an emphatic finish on 67 minutes but it was 5-2 soon after when Mark Robinson raced clear to score.

The post prevented Joe Homer getting a sixth for the Overs while the Unders’ Kev Rainbow was booked for diving by referee Sean Phelps.

And in the 89th minute, Skelton found James Andrews and he toe-poked the ball past Homer.

“Thank you to all that attended and contributed to the amazing total raised,” said Scarlett’s mum Lisa. “We can’t thank everyone enough.”

The Russ family gave special thanks to all of the players that took part, Sherren’s Printers, Graham and Alice Butler and Steven and Claire Quine, who organised the event.

Resettlement officer and co-organiser Steve Quine would like to thank everyone at Portland United Football Club, especially Darren Whyton and Robin Satherley, for the use of their facilities and helping the prison to forge a positive working relationship with the local community.

Fellow officer Graham Butler is appealing to any local companies for a donation, or partial sponsorship, for HMP/YOI Portland to purchase new kits for their annual charity matches.

The current kits are more than six years old and becoming worn and damaged. In recent years, the matches and other related football events at the prison have raised in excess of £6,000 for charities such as the NSPCC, Help for Heroes, Julia’s House and also raised awareness of Boots for Africa and Kick it Out.

Anyone wishing to offer assistance should contact Graham Butler in writing at the prison.