PORTLAND TOWN A 4 CORFE MULLEN 3

PORTLAND Town continued their early season good form with a second successive victory in the Dorset Bankes Cup.

However, the victory came at a costly price, with hat-trick hero Danny Sheppard and fellow strike partner Shane Maguire both suffered suspected broken ankles.

Town started by far the brighter side with wide man Elliot Gould spurning three glorious chances within the opening 10 minutes.

Portland’s inability to finish was punished on 15 minutes when a quick break from Corfe gave them a simple tap-in past home keeper Richie Copp to make the score 1-0 to the visitors.

Portland responded within just 90 seconds after with some determined and battling play from Elliot Gould.

He found Alex Counter before Sheppard was fed the ball wide of the goal to fire high into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Sheppard struck twice more to earn his hat-trick before half-time to send the islanders 3-1 ahead at the break.

This was his second successive treble for Portland.

With the wind now behind them, Corfe pushed on and put Town under pressure.

Man of the match Liam Gould was superb in the centre in what was his last ever game for the club before moving back across the island to United.

Corfe did pull one back on 55 minutes, direct from a wind-assisted corner.

Town seemed to be hanging on with centre-back pairing of Edd Barber and Kieren Espley coming more and more under pressure.

However, the visitors were undone by a fourth Town goal on the break after a solo effort from Counter seemed to put the tie beyond Corfe at 4-2.

Mullen didn’t give up though, and pulled another back with 10 minutes to go to leave a tense finish for the home side.

Town saw the game out and now top the group, needing just one win from their remaining two games to guarantee a place in the final.

n Portland Town kick-off their Dorset League season this coming Saturday with all four teams in action.

The first team have a short trip to Budmouth to face Portesham in Division Two.

The reserves are at home at the Marsh and face Mere Town.

The A team are also at home at the Ricol Leisure Arena where they face Corfe Mullen and the B side make the long journey to Shaftesbury A.