BAFFINS MILTON ROVERS 4

PORTLAND UNITED 0

PORTLAND United fell to a 4-0 defeat at Wessex League Premier Division leaders Baffins Milton Rovers.

Struggling with injuries and players coming back from Covid-19, the Blues were 2-0 down inside four minutes in a nightmare start.

James Cowan put Rovers ahead in the first minute, bending a free-kick in off the post.

And Baffins were 2-0 up three minutes later when Jason Parish latched onto Miles Everett’s through ball to steer a cool finish beyond Blues’ keeper Mike Edgar.

Portland were limited to half chances for Joel Hewitt and Aaron Ryan in the first half before Baffins extended their lead.

Oscar Johnston’s flashy footwork inside the box worked space to lay a precise pass to Parish who again showed strong composure to beat Edgar.

READ MORE: Portland United 0-4 Romsey Town - match report

Portland’s half worsened when Everett picked out Tommy Scutt to fire into the bottom-right corner for 4-0 at half-time.

After the break, Portland did at least stem the tide of goals and saw Hewitt and Ryan go close again. Sam Poole also had two headers at goal.

But unbeaten Baffins were never seriously in danger of relinquishing their healthy lead as they took a fourth win in five games, leaving Portland in 13th.

Returning Blues’ boss Franklyn Clarke told Echosport: “We were 2-0 down in four minutes. When you go 2-0 down in any game it’s hard to come back.

“When you do it away from home against top of the league you’re giving yourself an absolute mountain to climb.

“We just didn’t recover well enough from it and 4-0 at half-time just showed that we’ve got a lot to learn.”

Blues: Edgar, Scott, Poole, Tennant, Griffiths (Morris 9), Hutchinson, McKechnie, F Clarke (Borthwick 46), Smith, Hewitt, Ryan. Sub not used: Moggeridge.

Attendance: 119