PORTLAND UNITED 1

Whyton 70

ARLESFORD TOWN 0

LEWIS Whyton grabbed the goal to get Portland United’s season off to a flying start with a narrow 1-0 win at the Weyline Stadium over Arlesford Town in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

Whyton’s late goal proved the difference between the two sides, who both had threatening spells in the game up until this point, without ever managing a breakthrough.

Portland started well, with a good opening 25 minutes before Arlesford came back into the game and had a couple of good chances which were squandered.

New signing Jamie Symes had to come off after 20 minutes with a slight hamstring injury in an early blow to Portland.

Arlesford had a late couple of good chances but could not convert as the two sides went in level.

In the second half, Arlesford started the better of the two and had the better of the opening 15 minutes.

However, the last half an hour was dominated by the Blues despite Arlesford forcing Portland goalkeeper Jordan Tewkesbury into a great save.

Good build-up play from Ryan McKechnie, Ashley Smith and Alex Godfrey saw the ball given to Whyton who fired in after 70 minutes.

Jamie Beasley had a couple of good chances late on, with the Arlesford goalkeeper Dan Kempson doing well to save one effort and the other going wide.

The Blues kept their composure and kept hold of their lead as they secured their first win of the season at their first attempt.

Portland boss Brendon King admitted his side had “got out of jail” during the encounter.

He said: “We are really happy with it to obviously get three points from your first game.

“We sort of got out of jail a little bit.

“We rode our luck at times but then we could have seen the game out, Jamie Beasley had a couple of good chances.

“They will be disappointed that they haven’t taken anything out of the game because they did miss some chances.”

King added: “We will take that all day long, to be honest with you, it is important to get three points in your first game. We have played better.

“But we have got to be realistic, it is our first game of the season.”

Portland: Tewkesbury, Smith, Butcher, Clarke, Bessant, Bastick (Doidge 55), Halloran, Symes (McKechnie 20), Godfrey, Beasley, Whyton (Clarke 75)

Arlesford Town: Kempson, Hibberd, Green, Doswell, Burt, Blaxall, Tomasso, Silver, White, Farrelly, Whiteley

Match Ball Sponsor: Pat Mathews

Match Programme Sponsors: Travis Perkins, Weymouth

Mascot: Spencer Bourton

Attendance:  180

Man of the Match: Sean Bessant