PORTLAND UNITED RESERVES 1

BALTI SPORTS 2

BALTI Sports claimed a precious 2-1 away win over Portland United Reserves in the Jewson Dorset Premier League.

Balti have now done the double over the islanders following a 5-0 win at Cranford Avenue earlier in the season.

Marco Nott’s men picked up their third away league victory of the campaign in the process and now occupy 13th.

Balti weathered early Portland pressure when experienced striker Lewis Clarke was denied in a one-on-one with keeper Nott.

With Nott off his line, Portland were then repelled by the retreating Scott Walker who cleared off the line.

READ MORE: Balti Sports 5-0 Corfe Castle - match report

Portland enjoyed more of possession in the first half and Balti resorted to threatening in the break, led by Jack Drummond and Ricky Lane up top.

And the duo combined for the game’s first goal, Drummond seeing a shot saved and veteran marksman Lane following up by finding the roof of the net.

Lane missed a golden chance for 2-0 when eight yards out having done all the hard work in bringing down Matt Chambers’ cross.

Right on half-time, Nott pulled off a reflex save to deny ex-Balti man Lloyd Beals’ goalbound header.

Portland dominated in the second half with good territory and a number of free-kicks in Balti’s third.

There seemed an air of inevitability about Portland’s equaliser when Jamie Cleaver cut inside and fired home past the unsighted Nott.

However there was a late sting in the tail for the Blues – despite good pressure around the Balti box – as Drummond volleyed home from a saved Lane shot.

Balti would have made sure of the points earlier but for a wayward Danny Andrews volley, although the Weymouth side later saw out their sixth win of the campaign.

Nott told Echosport: “We spoke about making a fresh start and forgetting 2021, trying to get up that league table.

“It’s not acceptable where we are at the moment and the squad’s definitely underachieving. We said that before kick-off.

“It was a really good away win against a good young Portland side. It’s massive to hold on to the win, they pegged us back to 1-1 and we nicked it.

“It was really pleasing to get off to a good start. Hopefully we can build some forward momentum and try and take that game into Shaftesbury.”

What's next for Balti?

Portland host the Rockies’ reserves on Saturday (2pm) looking for their first back-to-back wins of the season.

Nott added: “It’s a case of gaining confidence from the Portland victory and hopefully building on that.

“Hopefully we can finish as strongly as possible and get back up that table.

“As soon as you put a couple of wins together you jump up the table. They’re a team in and around us.

“We went there in midweek and lost just before Christmas. It would be nice to put right a few wrongs, get them down at our place.

“We want to improve our home record because it’s pretty dire. We’re notoriously good at home and we’ve got to get that feeling back. We’ve been very poor this season.”

Che Curran (isolation) is a doubt, while midfielders Sean Zima and Ethan Devaney could return.

Carl McClements (toe) and Stef Stavrianos (knee) are nearing a comeback.

Balti have also signed Dylan Riley and Pete Jarvis on dual terms.

Balti: M Nott, Riley, Anderson, S Walker, Brisco, L Taylor, Nichols (Grace 70), Rawlings (Andrews 60), Chambers (R Zima 75), Drummond, Lane.