PORTLAND TOWN 5

PORTLAND UNITED A 3

THE first ever Portland derby bought about an action-packed 90 minutes that ended with Town taking the honours in a 5-3 victory in Division One of the Dorset League.

A United team packed with Senior and Premier League winners started the quicker and pegged Town back in the opening five minutes with Dan Quinault called into action early on as the Blues grabbed the first goal.

After weathering the early storm, Town hit back with a counter attack.

Colin Upfold ran past Jamie Russell with ease and fired past Ben Tyrell.

Just two minutes later and it was two, Upfold again at the heart of the move as he nicked the ball off of Brendan Kelly before passing to the in-form Sam Course who confidently stroked home.

It was all Town but as they piled forward in droves United came back, as a short corner routine ended with Jordan Moore rounding Alex Crawley and firing across goal where a foot deflected home to level the scores.

United were now again on top and had a goal scrubbed out for a push while Course saw United keeper Ben Tyrell save well with his feet at the other end.

As the game swung end to end it was Town who nicked in front, Course slipping in Crawley and the midfielder ran through to give Town the lead again.

The hosts changed shape to counter the threat of Moore and immediately were in again as Danny Clifford broke into the box and was brought down.

Up stepped Kev Paice but his spot-kick was brilliantly stopped by Tyrell in the United goal.

The second half carried on in the same vein, end-to-end action but the first event of note was on 56 minutes as Clifford ran through only to be upended by Tyrell, who was duly sent off before Crawley’s deflected free- kick went in to widen the margin to 4-2.

The game was pretty much finished on the hour as Upfold combined with Jon Cameron who finished with aplomb as United shoulders sagged.

Leon Attree headed in late on but United could not rescue any further goals.

To make matters worse for United, Dean Taylor saw red too for violent conduct late on.

Man of the Match: Colin Upfold

Town: Quinault; Mitchell, Paice, Maguire, Upfold, Pettitt, Norman, Bindea, Course, Clifford, Crawley. Subs used: Cameron, Paul. Sub not used: Aldom