BLANDFORD UTD 4 PORTLAND UTD 4

(aet, Portland win 4-2 on pens)

PORTLAND United came from behind on three separate occasions before squeezing through to the second round of the Dorset Premier League Cup on penalties.

The Blues may have advanced to the next stage of the competition but boss Gary Bailey was far from happy with the way his side conceded four goals to the team currently bottom of the league.

“I don’t know where to start with our performance,” said Bailey. “We were less than imp-ressive I’m afraid. We got through in the end but we can’t take many positives from the game.

“We are still in the cup and we can’t overlook that, but as a performance it certainly wasn’t of the standard I expect, and the players know that.

“Not many people can come out of it with much credit and I’m not going to make any excuses for them.

“We gifted them their four goals and we’ve got to start making teams earn their goals against us, that’s something we need to address.”

Portland’s defensive problems began as early as the 10th minute when a long ball over the top ended with Blandford taking the lead through Paul Ford.

Midway through the first half the Blues were level, Ross Doidge slotting home from just outside the hosts’ box.

Blandford regained the initiative on 35 minutes, going 2-1 up when Ford pounced following a misplaced pass from Chris Reader back to keeper Warren Boyt.

However, Jake Price’s wicked free-kick forced a Blandford player to head into his own net on the stroke of half-time.

With 20 minutes left a ball from substitute Ross Boatswain found Adam Linaker and he did the rest to put Bailey’s men 3-2 in front.

The visitors seemed to have done enough to win the tie with that goal but they were caught out by another punt over the back four which led to an equaliser just before the final whistle through Rob Manson.

The game then swung back in the hosts’ favour during the second period of extra-time, another long ball proving Portland’s undoing yet again as Ford bagged his hat-trick.

But Ashley Smith levelled with five minutes to go and luckily for Bailey the Blues were faultless in the penalty shoot-out.

Lewis Whyton, Reader, Ross Carmichael and Smith all scored while Boyt saved two of Blandford’s spot-kicks.

Blues: Boyt, Bessant, B Doidge, Carmichael, Reader, Mutch (Camp 70), Bastick, R Doidge (Boatswain 65), Price (Whyton 80), Linaker, Smith