Under-18 Division One

PORTLAND TOWN 1

PARLEY SPORTS 1

PORTLAND Town were wondering how they failed to win this game after a tremendous second-half display.

Parley cleared a number of goal-bound efforts from off their own line and Town had some strong penalty claims turned down as well.

The hosts showed their battling qualities again however, with a late Matt Dunlop goal ensuring they finished the match with at least a point.

The first half was a very scrappy affair that the visitors just shaded but there wasn’t much between both teams.

Matty Peart had to be alert in the second minute to make a good double block before the Parley keeper received just a yellow card after taking out Adam Barrett as the last man.

Jake Dalton blocked a Parley effort before the visitors snatched the lead in the 22nd minute.

Peart managed to punch clear a free-kick only to see the ball rebound of a Parley forward and into the empty net.

Neither team managed to create any more real chances in a rather lacklustre first half.

The home side put their opponents under wave after wave of pressure in the second half and Matt Sturmey brought a great save out of the keeper and McCau-ley Sherred saw his headed rebound cleared off the line.

Town thought they had won a penalty when Barrett was elbowed in the back by the last Parley defender having rounded the keeper.

Barrett, to his credit, tried to stay on his feet and managed to get in a shot that was cleared off the line by a defender who had managed to race back.

With everyone ex-pecting the referee to award a penalty and possibly produce a red card, Town were instead awarded a corner.

Edd Barber then saw a couple of efforts blocked on the line and as Town continued to pile on the pressure they replaced the excellent Floyd Musson with striker Reece Faulkner.

Receiving the ball on halfway, Barber bamboozled the Parley forward before spraying a pass out to Barrett.

He, in turn, nodded the ball back to Dunlop, pictured, who produced a fabulous shot that the Parley keeper somehow managed to keep out.

Faulkner flicked the ball on for Dunlop in the 75th minute but his audacious lob was tipped over.

But Portland were finally rewarded for their efforts when Dunlop controlled a long ball forward, took one touch and calmly rolled the ball under the keeper.

Having only taken one point from their first eight games, Town have now won seven from their last four and are up to eighth place in the Division One table.

They go to Westland Sports next on Sunday.

Ricol Leisure Man of the Match: Matt Sturmey