HAMWORTHY UNITED 1

PORTLAND UNITED 1

THE POINTS were shared at the Specsavers County Ground as Portland United drew 1-1 with Hamworthy United in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division on Tuesday night.

Portland were favourites on paper going into this match, as they looked the continue their push towards the top of the table.

The away side were on top during the first half but couldn’t take their chances failing to capitalise on the early pressure.

Portland did, however, manage to go in front just before the half an hour mark.

Bailey Rowe turned his defender on the halfway line and drove forward, he then beat his defender again and smashed the ball home from 20 yards.

On the 40th minute, the scores were level. A corner was cleared to the edge of the box by the Portland defence, the ball was put back into the box and fell to Connor Cocklin who turned and fired the ball into the back of the net.

Portland continued to push for the remainder of the first half but once again it proved fruitless as the Hamworthy ‘keeper did well to deny Maxwell Buckler.

It was the home side who started the second half brightly, putting pressure on Portland without causing too many chances.

Portland came back into it and had good chances through Ryan McKechnie and Bailey Rowe but ultimately it wasn’t enough, and the match ended 1-1.

The result means Portland have now gone six league games without a defeat, last losing to Christchurch at the start of October.

The Blues sit third in the Sydenhams Premier Division just seven points off the top of the pile.

Speaking to Echosport, Portland manager Brendon King said: “(Hamworthy) are a good side and have got good players.

“You go away from home and you have no given right to win the game. It’s obviously a bit of a local derby.

“Ultimately we got a draw and got a point on our travels.

“We don’t talk about good runs, it’s the old cliché but we take every game as it comes. We look forwward to Saturday now.

“We came here to do a job and that was to primarily win the game and get three points, but we didn’t.

“You then set yourself up well, if you can’t get the win you make sure you don’t get beaten and we’ve come away to a good side and got a point.”

The next test for Portland is at home to Tadley Calleva in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division on Saturday November 2 (3pm).

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