PORTLAND United boss Simon Browne admitted the Blues have conceded “some pretty crumby” goals this season after losing 2-1 away to Bashley in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

Ten-man Portland went 2-0 down to what Browne called “mistakes” before a late Ryan McKechnie goal gave Browne’s men hope after captain Lewis Whyton picked up a second yellow card.

Giving his assessment of the game, Browne told Echosport that there were “average performances” from players he “would have expected better from”.

He said: “The bottom line is that they scored two and we scored one. There were some decent performances from players, but there were average performances from players that I would have expected better from.

“Then you’re in danger of coming away with nothing which is what we did. We have given away some pretty crumby goals recently. It seems to be that all the goals we are conceding are from mistakes at the moment.”

Browne rued the fact that the Blues had an effort cleared off the line, before a Kabba Jack double eventually proved enough for the hosts.

He said: “They didn’t create anything clear cut and we had a shot cleared off the line when it was 0-0. I guess that would have made things a little bit different.

“We gave the ball away in midfield in the first half then had an opportunity to clear our lines and I think it was a ball that went under a player’s foot. It was three on two and their guy stroked it home.

“We gave the ball away in a particularly poor area. It’s the kind of mistake that you hope your team doesn’t do,” he said.

“The second was a shot from outside the box and Steve Boore made the save but the ball got away from him. Everybody seemed to end up in a heap on the floor and the ref pointed to the spot.

“Their forward has gone down and won the penalty. It looked a bit soft and they went 2-0 up. That was compounded when Lewis Whyton picked up a second yellow.”

Browne then switched to a 3-3-3 formation and said his team looked more dangerous than with a full side.

“Ryan pushed up with Sanchez Baker and Lewis Clarke and the ball dropped to Ryan on the edge of the box and he finished well.

“All of a sudden there was a bit of concern with Bashley and we looked more dangerous in the final 20 minutes than we had for the majority of the game,” Browne said.

Blues: Boore, Smith, Bessant, Whyton, Holland, Morris (Payne 80), McKechnie, Halloran (Mitchell 65), Doidge, Baker, Godfrey (Clarke 65). Subs not used: Hibbs, Diaz