Upwey & Broadwey 4 Piddletrenthide UNITED 1

THINGS could not have gone any better for Upwey & Broadwey as they gave their Dorset Senior League title hopes a massive boost by beating in-form Piddletrenthide United at Redlands.

The Weymouth outfit looked out of the race just a few weeks ago but with the rest of the top-five continuing to drop points, their prospects appear to be improving all the time.

Upwey boss Steve Reynolds said: “The results at the weekend have left it wide open and although we are still relying on others, things do seem to be swinging back in our favour.

“There is still a lot of work to be done and I am sure there are going to be many more twists and turns ahead but if we can keep winning we will stand every chance.”

Reynolds’ men now sit just three points adrift of leaders Wareham Rangers with a game in hand but Portland United Reserves, Kingston Lacy and Witchampton United are all still very much in the hunt too.

He added: “We have three games left, two of which are against Portland and Witchampton, so it promises to be very interesting indeed.

“There are also a few other matches between the top sides to go yet so everything is still very much to play for.”

Piddle went into the encounter on the back of a four-game winning streak and although they took the lead following a goalkeeping error by the unfortunate Pete Cowne, Upwey always appeared to hold the upper hand.

Phil Anderson eventually levelled in the closing stages of the first half before a strike from Ty Young and two goals from Ethan Devaney completed the comeback in emphatic fashion.

Reynolds said: “Our performance didn’t quite reach the heights that we produced against Okeford United a couple of weeks ago but we always looked in control throughout.

“Piddletrenthide have certainly improved but their goal came against the run of play and once we got back level I always fancied we would go on and win it.

“Having said that, at one stage I did wonder whether that second goal would ever come, but once we reverted to 4-4-2 from 4-5-1 early in the second half and brought on Pete Bochonko up front, we soon started to create a lot more chances.

"Jason Pearce was phenomenal again and all the lads put in a good shift but man of the match for me was Don Wellman.

“Although we were never really put under too much pressure at the back, he won every header and never gave the ball away.

“He oozed experience and quality, and there is no doubt he makes a huge difference when he is in the side.”

Upwey: Cowne, Porteous, Pearce, Wellman, Anderson, Stewart, Samways (Bochonko 58), Frost, Devaney, Nichols, Young (Purnell 75).