CHRISTCHURCH 4

PORTLAND UNITED 1

PORTLAND United’s inexperienced side lost 4-1 at FA Cup giant-killers Christchurch in Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division action at Hurn Bridge.

The Priory have been on an incredible FA Cup journey in recent weeks, having knocked Dorchester and Gloucester City out – respectively two and three divisions above them.

Ollie Cherrett’s men have translated that form into league fixtures, with Portland their latest victims.

Interim boss Gary Bailey’s men were well in the game – Ryan McKechnie’s 250th for the club – in the opening 30 minutes.

Josh Camp provided a tasty cross for Sol Roche, who headed over, before Ben Morris missed a half chance.

Morris spurned Portland’s biggest chance when Lewis Gunstone-Gray thwarted the young winger in a one-on-one showdown.

Christchurch punished the islanders’ lack of killer touch when a long straight ball caught out the visiting defence, allowing Mickey Finch to score.

Portland committed the cardinal sin of conceding soon after as Will Fletcher beat Blues’ keeper Josh Lucas in the 35th minute.

Trailing 2-0 in the second half, Portland conceded again following a goalmouth scramble as Max Wilcock’s shot found the net despite the best efforts of Portland’s George Carter.

Finch bagged his second to make it 4-0 before Portland netted a deserved goal when sub Aaron Ryan produced a superb header to convert a Morris free-kick.

Late on, Carter was sent off during a minor scuffle as both sides harshly finished with 10 men.

Speaking to Echosport, Bailey admitted Portland’s fifth loss of the campaign was symptomatic of their situation.

He said: “I couldn’t fault their attitudes, everyone worked really hard, stuck at it, stuck together.

“We just got picked off at critical moments by a good side who are on a rich vein of form. This is where we’re at, at the moment.”

He added: “It’s a bit more of the same, we’re more than in the game and for half an hour probably slightly edged it.

“We were nicely on the front foot, winning our battles in midfield, nice and bright, plenty of energy about ourselves.

“Then it just typifies a young, inexperienced side, we got caught with a long straight ball, misjudged it, and the lad ran in behind us and scored.

“It’s fine margins at both ends of the pitch. We didn’t take advantage of good chances then got punished with clinical finishing at the other.”

Blues: Lucas, Diaz, Hutchinson, Hankin, Carter, Williams, Morris, McKechnie, S Roche (Ryan 75), Read (Coombs 70), Camp (Riley 60).