Portland UNITED RESERVES 3 STOURPAINE 1

TWO quickfire goals in the second half helped Portland United Reserves overcome Stourpaine in the Dorset Senior League.

The reigning champions took the lead through Steve Churchill before the visitors hit back just 10 minutes later.

The score then remained 1-1 until the closing stages when Ben Turner and Sam Pattison eventually clinched it for the Blues with a strike apiece to move their side up to second in the table.

Portland boss Lee Clarke said: “We still looking for consistency at the moment. “We are playing well in patches and having good 10-minute spells here and there, which are getting us through games, but we need to start performing for the full 90 minutes.

“Once we find that consistency we will be fine.

He went on to add: “We took the lead fairly early on when Ross Boatswain and Dan Sidwell combined to set up an easy tap-in for Steve.

“At that stage it looked like we would go on and take control but just 10 minutes later they went down the other end and smashed one in to make it 1-1.

“The first 25 minutes of the second half were then touch and go. It could have gone either way but towards the end we then began to take over.

“Ben and Sam both found the net for us in the space of a couple of minutes and then we just sat on it from there.

“It wasn’t a dominant display but at least the lads are showing me they have got the determination and passion to dig in and get results.

“It was also another good experience for some of the younger ones, particularly Liam Tugwell (16 years-old) and Jordan Spencely (19), who both came off the bench and did well.

“Stourpaine are always a very strong side at this level so all in all it was a decent result.”

The Blues have picked up 10 points from their opening five games but they still trail leaders Mere Town, who continue to hold a 100 per cent record.

Clarke’s men will no doubt look to close that five-point gap on Saturday when they return to Grove Corner to take on Okeford United (3pm).

Blues: Bickerstaff, Kelly (Spencley 60), Newnham, Skelton, Turner, Pattison, Camp, Preston (Tugwell 75), Churchill, Boatswain, Sidwell (May 55).