DELIGHTED Blues’ boss Gary Bailey hailed the entire set-up at Grove Corner, after Portland United secured promotion to the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division at the first time of asking.

Portland wrapped up their top-two spot with a classy 6-0 thumping of Hythe & Dibden on Tuesday night – a fitting way to mark their return to the top flight of the Wessex League structure.

“When we decided, as a club, to commit and go back to the Wessex structure from the DPL, the idea was obviously to get back to the Wessex Premier. To do that at the first time of asking is a terrific achievement,” Bailey told Echosport.

“It’s great for the lads to know we have secured Wessex Premier League football for next season. It’s also great for the club, the chairman, the secretary and all the people that work behind the scenes.

“We have achieved the goal that moving forward was all about. The icing on the cake would be to do it as champions.

“The players have bought into everything we have asked them to do and they have represented the club fantastically, I couldn’t be any more proud of them.”

During the win that clinched the promotion, the Blues went ahead in the 13th minute when Alex Godfrey found the net. From then on Bailey’s men never looked back.

Ashley Smith then pulled the ball back for Ryan McKechnie to smash in a second 10 minutes before the interval and Tom Richardson headed home twice to put the Blues 4-0 up at the break.

Godfrey added his second just short of the hour mark and Ross Carmichael got his name on the scoresheet to complete the romp.

Bailey also singled out the performance of Ross Doidge, who is still nursing a slight back problem, as one he was delighted with on the night.

“He (Doidge) was excellent last night in the holding role, he controlled the midfield and it was good to see,” the boss added.

“We were really pleased, there were no champagne corks going off though.

“I congratulated the players for a job well done in the dressing room afterwards but I have a real feeling there is a determination in that dressing room to go up as champions at the moment.”

Depending on Amesbury Town’s result at home against Christchurch this evening, Portland could lift the crown when they host Fleet Spurs at Grove Corner tomorrow night (7.45pm).

Blues: Lillington, Smith, Whyton (Camp 58), Carmichael, Bessant, Doidge, Halloran, McKechnie, Morris (McClements 65), Godfrey, Richardson. Sub not used: Best