Five-star finish

8:41am Monday 5th May 2008

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WESTLAND SPORTS 2 PORTLAND UNITED 5 LEWIS Whyton hit a hat-trick to help Portland finish the season with a 5-2 victory at Westland Sports and stretch their unbeaten run in the Dorset Premier League to 27 games.

The Blues, already crowned champions, took on last year's title winners and despite the three-goal cushion assistant-manager Bren-dan King believes the score-line could have been higher.

He said: "It was very comfortable. We wanted to keep the run going and we did, we had a lot of possession and it could have been more.

"We let them back into the game twice and Warren Boyt saved a penalty but we had plenty of chances."

The islanders got the ball rolling when Richard Marshallsay set Matt White up for his 27th goal in all competitions.

Unfortunately for the Blues' top scorer he had to be replaced by Adam Linaker with just 20 minutes gone due to a thigh strain.

The substitute then missed an opportunity to go two up before the hosts equalised through Ian Harris.

Great defending prevented Whyton and the half ended even.

Whyton was not to be denied and he finished well from Alex Halloran's pass in the second period. Harris then pulled Sports level once more only for Michael Walker to regain the lead in emphatic fashion.

Straight from the kick-off Ross Doidge found Walker who cut inside before hammering a right-foot shot into the net to make it 3-2.

King entered the fray and played a part in Portland's fourth - flicking on for Halloran who set up Whyton.

Harris missed the chance of netting a treble himself when Boyt guessed right from his penalty after Sam Clarke was harshly penalised for handball.

Whyton though did hit three, and his 20th of the season, came courtesy of Walker's cross.

United already have their eyes set on next season and retaining their crown.

King added: "We will have a nice rest and come back in late June looking to do it all again. The lads will let us know what their positions are in the next few weeks but the general consensus is that they want to stick together and play at a higher stand- ard together, which is a boost for us."

Blues: Boyt, P Lambert, Cranny, Clarke, Walker, Lamb, Doidge, Litherland, Marshall-say (King 80), White (Linaker 20 (Halloran 65)), Whyton.