PORTLAND TOWN 7

MILBORNE PORT 1

PORTLAND Town put struggling Milborne Port to the sword with an emphatic 7-1 victory in Dorset League Division One.

Town's Will Sonner was forced off in a groggy state after a nasty clash of heads five minutes in, Danny Clifford entering the fray.

Milborne defended doggedly as Town started to turn the screw, it took a stroke of genius to break the deadlock, a free kick was awarded on 15 minutes some 30 yards from goal.

George Christopher stepped up and unceremoniously whipped it into the top corner.

Just three minutes later the deflated visitors found themselves two down.

READ MORE: Portland Town 1-2 Bisterne United - match report

Some neat play on the right ended with some nice interchange in the box that was finished by Gary Harvey who rifled home from 12 yards.

Town now dominated the ball but did not really penetrate the Milborne defence, the wind at their backs actually making it difficult to string a lot of passes together.

They did get a deserved third on 40 minutes when the ball was hacked away but fell straight to Rob Townley who volleyed home from eight yards.

The second half saw the hosts kicking against the wind and they were dominant from the off, just a minute had gone when Paice was upended as he got to the ball in front of the defender. Townley stepped up and slotted the penalty home.

Tom Cherry then saw a volley cleared off the line and a one-on-one effort drift past the post as Milborne hung on.

However, it was 5-0 on the hour, Ross Pettitt, who has been rejuvenated on the left flank in recent weeks, provided the cross and his ball was clinically finished by the onrushing Paice as it dropped in the box.

Town were not done there as Christopher slung a free-kick over and Leon Attree planted a firm header home past an overworked keeper.

The seventh soon followed as Attree turned provider, his raking pass released Callum Allison in the channel and the wide man made no mistake as he went toe-to-toe with the keeper, the ball slotted under the oncoming stopper as he returned after a three-week lay-off.

Town's only blemish on the day was a last-minute consolation goal for Milborne as Josh Gear's strike flew in from 25 yards.

On Saturday, Town host Swanage who held title-chasing Bisterne to a 1-1 draw last time out.

Town: Theakstone, Paul (Owens), Pettitt, Rogers, Attree, Sonner (Clifford), Townley, Christopher, Paice (Hillyar), Harvey (Allison), Cherry.

BES Electrical man of the match: Danny Clifford