PORTLAND UNITED 3

Sharpe 30 Bearwish 60,

FAREHAM TOWN 2

Silvester 44 Jones pen 88

PORTLAND United ended their season on a high thanks to a Tom Bearwish brace in a 3-2 win over Fareham Town in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

Lee Sharpe had opened the scoring in the first half before the Creeksiders levelled just before half-time in what was the two sides’ second meeting in four days following Town’s 3-1 win.

As a result Portland will finish the season in either 14th or 15th in the table, with Brockenhurst able to overtake them with their two remaining games still to play.

Regular Portland goalkeeper Sean Lillington was away on holiday, with the league having been extended by a week, and so was replaced by Taylor Hibbs who is on dual registration with Portland and Dorchester Town.

Portland started well and were causing problems for the away side but struggled with the final ball.

However, Sharpe grabbed the opening goal after Ross Doidge passed the ball out to the right to Jacob Read, who put a lovely ball into the box.

Lewis Clarke managed to turn the ball towards goal which was blocked, but Sharpe was on hand to give Portland the lead.

Fareham were causing the Blues problems from set pieces throughout the match.

On the stroke of half-time some slack defending from the home side saw Fareham get a corner which Bradley Silvester headed in from close range.

Portland responded well and started to dominate the match and after 15 minutes Bearwish handed them the lead again.

A ball through to Clarke let him put the ball across the box for Bearwish to fire in.

Five minutes later good link-up play from Doidge and Alex Godfrey allowed them to slip in Bearwish who smashed in for his second goal.

On 70 minutes Portland lost Che Curran to a bad ankle injury when attempting a cross from the byline and he was replaced by Dan Payne.

Fareham would get a late consolation however, as Fareham broke through and a recovering Bearwish gave away a penalty which Ethan Jones fired home but Portland held on for victory.

Blues’ interim boss Gary Bailey said: “With the hard work and the dedication that the players have put in the past week they got the three points today and I was delighted for them and the club and the supporters.”

Portland: Hibbs, Smith, Curran (Payne 70), Butcher, Bessant, Sharpe, Read (Mitchell 60), Doidge, Clarke (Okumu 75), Godfrey, Bearwish

Match Ball Sponsors: Ron Roberts & Dave Darby

Match Programme Sponsor: Micky Greeno

Mascot: Henry Rodd