PORTLAND UNITED 4

HORNDEAN 1

GARY Bailey described the Blues’ second-half comeback against Horndean at Grove Corner as “magnificent” as the islanders’ unbeaten run rolls on in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier League.

Despite trailing at the interval, doubles from Darren Watts and Ryan McKechnie ensured Portland recorded their 22nd win of the league campaign.

“At the end of the day we thoroughly deserved the victory in the end,” Bailey told Echosport.

Operating with the wind in their favour in the first half, the Blues fell behind after 15 min- utes.

The hosts failed to deal with a ball out wide allowing the Deans to get in behind, resulting in a visiting player being bundled over in the box and the referee awarding a penalty.

Up stepped Horndean’s Jack Maloney, who kept his cool from the spot to convert and put the away side a goal up.

The Blues rallied after going behind however, and showed glimpses of getting back in the contest before the break.

And those glimpses turned into a stellar second half in which the Deans found themselves hit for four.

Portland drew level on 61 minutes when a free-kick from a wide area delivered by Jamie Beasley was fiercely contested in the six-yard box under the challenge of Lewis Whyton and Ross Carmichael. The ball eventually fell to Watts, who turned the ball in to make it 1-1.

Another Beasley free-kick was then whipped into the box three minutes later and was eventually met by McKechnie, who stabbed home from close range to turn the game on its head.

And the points were secured for the islanders when McKechnie fired home after latching on to a corner for 3-1 on 76 minutes.

The Blues were not done there however, and Watts sealed his brace with an audacious chip to ensure his side kept up their remarkable run of form.

“Our response in the second half was magnificent.

“We got our sleeves rolled up and matched them for tenacity and started winning our second ball battles,” Bailey added.

“It was a great response from the lads. Confidence is high and they don’t know when they are beaten.

“We challenged them at half-time to raise their game, not that they were miles off it, and they lifted things and responded magnificently.”

He claimed: “As soon as we got a goal back I could just see our eyes lit up and I fancied us.

“We could have just said ‘oh well, it wasn’t our day’ but the dressing room is in such a mind set at the moment that they just don’t want to relinquish it.”

Blues: Lillington, Doidge, Whyton, Carmichael, Bessant, Halloran, M Buckler, McKechnie, Watts, Beasley (Clarke 80), Godfrey (Bastick 60) Sub not used: M Camp

Attendance: 153

Match sponsors: Teresa & Andrew Bastick

Match ball sponsors: Anne & Dave Crabb

Programme sponsor: Hilary Billimore

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