PORTLAND TOWN 4 CORFE CASTLE 2

PORTLAND Town made it four wins on the spin in Dorset League Division Two as they overcame bottom team Corfe Castle.

The victory also saw the islanders move into the top five at the start of a run of home games before the Christmas break.

There was one change to the side that beat Chickerell Reserves last week as Kieron Epsley was forced out through injury, meaning a start for Luke Hearn at right-back.

Town’s top scorer Alex Counter was the man to break the deadlock on 15 minutes with a neat finish into the bottom righthand corner.

This was followed up by a powerful headed goal by Sanchez Jansz-Baker from an Elliott Gould corner.

It was a rare headed goal for the side this season.

Then, with 10 minutes to go before the end of the first period, the island club conceded after a sloppy pass and some lethargic closing down allowed a Corfe Castle striker to score from around 20 yards.

The slick and patient passing that Town showed in the first half seemed to be lost momentarily after the break, as the visitors enjoyed a good start to the second half.

But Town managed to get the next goal as one of the slickest moves of the game saw Dean Taylor finish off an eight-pass counter-attack to make it 3-1.

Nerves were jangling for Portland in the second period as Corfe Castle were awarded a penalty but, keeper Adam Sedwell kept it out by pulling off a neat save.

The away side then got one back when a shot found the corner with Sedwell unsighted.

The visitors really did push foward with 20 minutes to go in search of an equaliser.

However, the islanders’ nerves were calmed about 10 minutes later as that man Counter netted his second of the game to secure a 4-2 win.

Town: Sedwell, Hearn, Sugg, Riley, Proffitt, Jansz-Baker, Norman, Taylor, Gould, Prudames, Counter. Subs: Russell, Whisselle.

Ricol Leisure Man of the Match: Sanchez Jansz-Baker