Portland UTD RES 5 WEYMOUTH SPORTS 0 GRANT Chance helped himself to four goals as Portland United Reserves put Weymouth Sports to the sword.

The predatory forward was in fine form at Grove Corner as the Blues, who also saw Tom Bell find the net, stayed in touch with the leading pack in the Dorset Senior League.

And Sports’ manager Steve Alcock admitted the damage could have been much worse had it not been for the efforts of gloveman Ant Luque.

He said: “It was a weird game in different ways. We knew Portland are a good side and we knew it would be a tough one but we warmed up well, we seemed focused and we actually started quite well.

“Then, a lapse in concentration and an under-hit back pass saw them open the scoring and they didn’t look back from there, while it was as though someone had pulled the batteries out of us.

“Goals two and three quickly followed and knocked the stuffing out of us. We have defended quite well this season but the space and time we afforded Portland was alarming to say the least.

“I felt for Ant in goal because if he hadn’t been playing it could have been double figures. We just couldn’t seem to get ourselves going.

“I said at half-time that we needed to get back to basics and we did have a couple of chances in the second half, but we missed the pace of Robbie Rolls and Ben Mac-Connachie.”

Sports will look to bounce back when they entertain leaders Ware-ham Rangers on Saturday while the Blues prepare to visit lowly Piddletrenthide.

Sports: Luque, Hicks, Bessant, Austin, Sc Walker, Quinton, Green (Stone 65), Culpin, Thomas (Al Mason 65), Evans, Cleal. Sub not used: Alcock.