BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS 0

PORTLAND UNITED 0

PORTLAND United drew for the fifth consecutive game and Sam Buckler was sent off as they were held 0-0 away at Bemerton Heath Harlequins in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division.

Portland pressured well and had several great chances but they couldn’t convert as they earned a point, which sees them stay 10th in the table with 31 points.

Portland started the match strongly but Bemerton came close in the tenth minute with a foray forward as they stretched the Portland defence but couldn’t put away a header at the far-post.

The Blues put in a strong first-half performance with a string of close chances as Ross Doidge fired a shot from long-range that prompted the Bemerton goalkeeper Lewis Gunstone-Grey into a superb save.

Alex Godfrey also prompted the keeper into another great save with a snap shot but the Blues couldn’t find a breakthrough in the first-half.

The two sides went in level at half-time with Portland on top but struggling to find a clinical edge.

The second half saw a similar story as Portland were on the attack but were foiled by the Bemerton defence.

Lewis Clarke had a header cleared off the line in the 80th minute as Bemerton continued to deny Portland.

Alex Halloran was then put through on goal soon after but couldn’t find the back of the net as he fired wide.

But Sam Buckler was sent off five minutes before the end after receiving a second yellow card for a bad challenge.

Portland remained on the attack despite being down to 10 men, as Godfrey went one-on-one with Gunstone-Grey who again denied Portland.

Portland United manager Simon Browne said: “We kept plugging away but it wasn’t to be and we couldn’t get that important goal that would have got us the three points.

“It looked like a matter of time before we scored a goal and went on to win the game but I guess the longer that we didn’t score the more confidence they got.”

It was the tenth draw for Portland this season and Browne said: “It shouts at you: ‘what if some of those draws could have been turned into wins?’ “Looking at it on the positive side it is another game undefeated, it is another clean sheet.”

Portland are next in action on Saturday when they face Bashley at home at Grove Corner.

Bemerton: Gunstone-Grey, Waters, Field, Haynes, Hassell, Joe Rawkins, Matthews, Burgess, Robinson, Cross, Jake Rawkins. Subs: Dawes, Prisk, Kiff.

Portland United: Lillington, Smith, Zima, Butcher (Evans 55), Buckler, Bessant, Doidge, McKechnie (Beasley 80), Bearwish, Godfrey (Clarke 70), Halloran. Subs not used: Payne, Mitchell.

Attendance: 41