POOLE BOROUGH 1 PORTLAND UNITED 2

A PATCHED-UP Portland United side left it late to secure a vital three points against struggling Poole Borough after coming from behind in the second half at Turlin Moor.

With as many as seven first-team players not available to manager Gary Bailey, the Blues were disjointed during the opening period despite fashioning a number of chances.

But having spurned opportunities, Borough hit the Blues with a sucker-punch on the counter to put the title chasers a goal down at the break.

And the islanders' boss shouldered some of the blame for his side's first-half display.

He told Echosport: “It was a little bit down to me, I will take a little bit of responsibility for that in the first half.

“We had square pegs in round holes because we were so stretched.

“In hindsight I got it wrong and we adjusted things at half-time, but we still had lots of play on a bobbly pitch.”

Portland were dominant after a change of shape and got their reward with 20 minutes to go when Adam Linaker converted from six yards out.

But having scored the islanders’ opening goal, Linaker was then involved in a moment of madness minutes later.

After Ashley Smith beat his man inside the area and fired a goalbound shot past the keeper, Linaker ran in to stroke home on the line from an offside position and the goal was chalked off by the officials.

Bailey added: “I was critical of him at the time and had a word with him after, but it’s a striker’s instinct at the end of the day and they want to score goals.

“It is a team game though and it’s all about making the right decisions.”

Linaker’s blushes were then spared as in the dying moments the returning Shaun Bessant fired the ball into the net on the half-turn to give the Blues a much-needed victory.

Bailey added: “It won’t go down as one of our best performances that’s for sure, but credit must go to the boys again, they showed dogged determination and got what they deserved.”

The win also means the Blues remain seven points behind leaders Merley Cobham Sports with a game in hand.

The islanders are also in action tomorrow night when they take on Bridport Reserves at St Mary’s Field (7.45pm).

Blues: Bickerstaff, Camp, Whyton, Carmichael, B Doidge, Bessant, R Doidge, Smith, May (Hansford 65, Mutch 80), Linaker, Clarke