SHAFTESBURY TOWN 4 PORTLAND UNITED 2

DEFLATED Blues’ chief Gary Bailey saw his side squander a golden opportunity to return to the Dorset Premier League summit, with a languid display seeing them slump to defeat at Shaftesbury Town.

With leaders Merley Cobham Sports’ scheduled encounter at Hamworthy Recreation a victim of the weather, the Blues knew three points would see them reclaim top spot in the division.

But a defensive lapse saw the visitors fall behind after just four minutes of the clash at Cockrams, and they never restored parity throughout the rest of the con-test, going in 3-0 behind at the break before losing 4-2.

“It was an un-Portland United-like display, especially in the first half,” Bailey told Echosport.

“We can’t afford to have too many of them if we are going to stay realistic challengers for the league.

“We looked off the pace and a bit lethargic on a tricky pitch which was really wet.

“We tried to play football on it but it doesn’t matter how good you are, if the conditions don’t allow you to play you have to adjust your game.

“We just didn’t work hard enough without the ball. There were too many people that didn’t turn up in the first half and the game passed us by.

“As bad as it sounds, we still had three or four really good chances during the first half and could easily have gone into half-time 4-3 up.”

With no fewer than three strong claims for penalties from the visitors turned down, Charlie May struck on 70 minutes after latching on to a neat through ball to make it 3-1.

But the Rockies added a fourth on the counter 10 minutes later to wrap up the three points.

Lewis Whyton bagged a consolation late on for the visitors after converting a set-piece at the back post, but Bailey knew the writing was on the wall after a poor opening 45 minutes.

“At 3-0 down you are giving yourself a mountain to climb,” he added.

“We penned them in down the slope with a little bit of breeze behind us in the second half, but we couldn’t set ourselves up for a grandstand finish.

“It was a lost cause by then and we paid the price for being sloppy in the first half.

“I hope the players are as disappointed as I am because I am pretty deflated.”

Commenting on missing their chance to go back to the top, the Blues’ boss claimed: “You don’t want to pass these opportunities up and it’s a setback for us.

“There is no dressing it up, it was disappointing.

“But there is a long way to go and we will probably suffer other setbacks along the way, as will the others.”

Blues: Boyt, Bessant, Whyton, Carmichael, Holland (May 60), Mutch (Hansford 70), McKechnie, Bastick, Price (B Doidge 80), Clarke, Smith