PORTLAND UNITED 3

Baker 17, Godfrey 44, Halloran 90

BOURNEMOUTH FC 5

Batista 2, Makhloufi 50, 55, Saadi 83, 90+2

PORTLAND United suffered a 5-3 defeat to Bournemouth FC at Grove Corner in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

Braces from Sami Makhloufi and Fawzi Saadi and an Eder Batista goal defeated the Blues, who saw Sanchez Baker, Alex Godfrey and Alex Halloran find the net.

Bournemouth got off to the best possible start when Batista latched onto the impressive Makhloufi’s through ball before rounding Ashley Weeks and slotting home in the second minute.

On 17 minutes, Portland equalised when Baker’s acrobatic volley hit a post and trickled across the line.

The Blues’ leveller signalled a period of domination for the hosts and just before half-time Portland made it 2-1 thanks largely to superb control and hold-up play from Billy Mitchell.

Mitchell then laid the ball off to Smith, whose cross to the back post found Godfrey unmarked, the forward finishing with his head while lying on the floor having seen his initial header blocked by Kovacs.

The Poppies’ equaliser after the break was of Portland’s own making, Sam Buckler heading a long ball straight at Makhloufi who controlled, ran through on goal and tucked an effort past Weeks.

Five minutes later Makhloufi sent a booming strike into the right corner, giving Weeks no chance for 3-2.

Portland again contributed to their own downfall when substitute Shaun Bessant conceded possession cheaply to Batista, who held play up and found Saadi in acres of space to curl a left-footer in off the bar on 83 minutes.

The hosts rallied and worked a lovely cross-field move, culminating in Godfrey teeing up Halloran for a calm finish into the far corner.

Seeking to make it 4-4, Baker conceded a contentious foul and quick-thinking from Saadi enabled him to lob Weeks from inside his own half in a sublime ending to the game.

Speaking to Echosport after the match, Blues’ boss Simon Browne said he had told players until he was “blue in the face” to start “brightly”.

“I’ve said time and time again until I’m blue in the face about starting games brightly.

“There wasn’t even a minute on the clock and we’ve conceded a goal. Then at half-time I said don’t concede early and give them a way back in the game, but what did we do? Exactly that. It’s so frustrating,” he said.

Blues: Weeks, Smith, Morris (Bessant 70), Butcher, S Buckler, Doidge, Mitchell (L Clarke 70), Halloran, Baker, Godfrey, Beasley. Subs not used: Payne, Camp, Ayunga

Bournemouth: Kovacs, Aldhayan, Leadbetter (Coulson 84), Harvey, Spears, Wilson, Ohamege, Aurow (Thomas 71), Saadi, Makhloufi, Batista (Meddah 88). Sub not used: Gilbert

Attendance: 131

Referee: Antony Smith (Christchurch)

n Match ball sponsor: Ray Collins