Portland United edged past Moneyfields in a dramatic 3-2 thriller at the Camp and Satherley Stadium in the Wessex League Premier Division.

It took just 8 minutes for Portland to take the lead through Liam Sayers. Brin Doyle’s determination on the flank allowed the midfielder to keep the ball in play before laying it off to Sayers to tap home.

Moneyfields found an equaliser 2 minutes later. Callum Laycock headed the ball home following a well timed cross from Cornwell.

The game was end-to-end and the Blues thought they had scored in the 27th minute after putting the ball in the net through Ryan McKechnie, however a foul during the build up to the goal saw it chalked off by the officials.

The visitors took the lead in added time of the first half. James Franklyn tapped the ball in from close range, following a lay off from Laycock.

Portland were calling for a penalty in the 54th minute for a handball, however the referee had waved play on.

Sayers bagged his brace in the 66th minute of the game. Ben Morris struck a fierce low cross in the area which was knocked in by Sayers.

The Blues used this momentum to push for a third, and scored their winner 4 minutes later. Morris went from provider to scorer as the playmaker got his head on the end of a lifted cross from Franklyn Clarke.

Moneyfields were pressing for a late equaliser and had their chance in the 2nd minute of added time. Cornwell drifted into space and fired in a shot from close range but Mike Edgar’s heroics denied the striker to ensure the points stayed on Portland.

Following the result, goalscorer Sayers said he was “buzzing”, he continued: “Everyone just dug in, and that’s been the difference this season, when we go down, we show that character and get back into the game.

“When you go on a good run of form, everything seems to fall for you.

“After the 3rd goal, we managed to settle the game as well as we could and that’s something we need to do for the rest of the season."

Portland Franklyn boss Clarke said on Twitter that he was “delighted with the back-to-back wins.”

“The positive energy all around the ground rubbed off on the players who ultimately delivered in the big moments and got the job done”.

Portland United: 3 (Sayers 8, 66, Morris 70)

Moneyfields 2 (Laycock 11, Franklyn 45+1)

Portland United: Edgar, Harvey, Stuttle, Poole, Callow, Williams, Clarke (Hewitt 90+4), McKechnie, Sayers (Borthwick 82), Doyle (M. Smith 45), Morris

  • Subs not used: B. Smith, Diaz

Moneyfields: Neil, Chandler (Bailey 83), Cornwell, Connolly (Heath 77), Lee, Cain, Pile, Sargeant, Hutchings, Franklyn, Laycock (Seidon 67)

  • Subs not used: Kramer, Cooper

Attendance: 172