BOURNEMOUTH ELECTRIC 2

PORTLAND TOWN 0

PORTLAND Town lost their Dorset League Division One top-of-the-table clash 2-0 at Bournemouth Electric.

Town captain Rob Townley had to go in goal due to Chris Theakstone’s unavailability while the spine of the team including in-form Steve Lambert, Charlie Rogers and Mark Lambert were all out.

On the flip side, Electric drafted in Holt United centre-back Lewis Sainval and Bournemouth Poppies wide men Rafael Santos and Levi Ridleigh to bolster their already strong ranks.

READ MORE: Allendale 2-6 Portland Town - match report

Bournemouth lived up to their billing and were, as their names suggests, Electric from the off.

Chris Bown was dominant in the middle while the movement of Dan Brown, Sam Carter and Santos were causing problems.

A short corner was fired in on five minutes and Carter just got in front of Ross Pettitt to head past Townley for the opener.

On eight minutes a bad start got worse when Brown tucked home again as another corner was only partially cleared.

It was looking like a landslide but Town edged into the game and started asking questions of their own.

First, Gary Harvey saw a header cleared off the line on 20 minutes and then George Christopher saw his arching free-kick fly just wide of the post after Harvey had been upended 20 yards out.

Possession was shared but there was a lack of killer edge on both sides, Santos was being well marshalled by Callum Allison on the right and Ridleigh was struggling to get into the game on the left after a bright start.

Brown saw a header spin well wide when well placed 10 minutes before the break and then at the other end the largely quiet Tom Cherry suddenly went round two players but could not pick out a teammate and the ball was bundled wide for a corner.

The set pieces did look Town’s best option and they had plenty but the defence, and in particular Sainval who showed why he is so highly thought of at Holt and in the DPL, were immovable at times.

The second half saw Town with plenty more of the ball, not trying to play pretty football on a hard bobbly pitch but rather bringing the wide men into play earlier.

Danny Clifford came into the game on the hour adding some needed bite to the midfield, the midfield now winning the battle and Town really asking questions.

It was really only the dominance of the Electric defence that held them out as they swatted away any advances with some impressive defending.

Townley did have one save to make of note and saved well with his feet, the rest were pot shots from distance which he fielded well.

Harry Mitchell made his debut 20 minutes from the end after signing on deadline day with Will Turland and bought his party trick throw to the game, his deliveries were causing problems to the defence at last but Town could not get a finish as time and again the ball went loose.

In the end, Town fell just short against a very good and experienced Bournemouth side.

They now have a free week before they visit Redlands to play Upwey on Saturday, April 23.

Town: Townley; Owens (Paul), Allison, Attree, Pettitt, Sonner, Harvey (Clifford), Christopher, Paice, Cherry, Turland (Mitchell).

‘Beautifully Simple’ man of the match: Callum Allison