Portland FC
Velocity Wessex League Premier Division – Tuesday 2nd April 2024
Portland United vs Shaftesbury
Everybody come to Portland! Well after manager Jim Milligan led his team to five straight victories in March including wins over two big guns in AFC Portchester and AFC Stoneham it certainly has been a transformation after the Moneyfields defeat in February.
We can forget Moneyfields now. Yesterday’s 2-0 win over AFC Stoneham pretty much nails them the top spot if we are all too be honest. They won’t let this slip. We now face two very difficult trips to Portland United and Baffins Milton Rovers at grounds recently have yielded little joy.
⛱️ Rockies View
Five wins in a row and all but secured play off position really is an improvement on last seasons 13th place since Milligan took the helm. Ash Wells return has stabilised the defence with Liam Farrugia now showing some great form after serving a suspension for a red card vs Brockenhurst.
Farrugia the former Bashley player appears more focused and along with Eddie Perrett has made the team more robust. The squad is smaller with some exits yet Milligan has men on the quarterdeck that seem to be playing for the shirt and a more honest approach. The start of the season seems light years away from where we are now.
We never claimed we would walk the league. That didn’t come from here. It was speculation. It’s marathon not a sprint taking the next step up in non league and building a club.
We respect what Glen Turnbull has done at Moneyfields, Jamie Philips AFC Stoneham, Dave Carter’s latest version of AFC Portchester and a play off space being pursued by Kyle Critchell down at Portland United, Pat McManus’ Brockenhurst and Danny Thompson’s Baffins Milton Rovers recent resurgence after being a firm favourite back in August 2023 they have become a contender again.
🎯 Marksmen – Brett Pitman 53, Cameron Beard 14, Callum Sweeney 9, Steve Devlin 7(no longer with club), Asa Philips 6, Greg Peel 6, Louis Kellaway 4, Steve Walker 4 (no longer with club), Ashley Pope 4 (now AFC Stoneham), Joe Wickham 4 (now Portland United)
📝 Our Opponents/Recent Form
Portland United had a good 3-1 win at Sherborne Town on Saturday that puts them in 7th place behind Baffins Milton Rovers and Brockenhurst in the play off race. They were recently defeated 2-0 at Oakland Park, Chichester by Moneyfields who look unstoppable.
Their recent form has been a pretty good with a 3-2 win at Blackfield & Langley, a 0-0 draw at the Camp Satherley & Stadium Petersfield Town following a 2-1 win at United Services Portsmouth and a 2-0 home win over Laverstock & Ford (pictured below).
Their only recent defeats have been to the aforementioned Moneyfields and 2-0 at AFC Portchester who along with ourselves and AFC Stoneham are in the play offs all but mathematically.
Portland United can score goals from all over the pitch with a number of players that can chip in with smaller totals and we know they are strong defensively from their 0-0 draw here in August. They have netted 56 times and are a very stable and steady side that could well be a contender if they reach the play offs.
They have conceded only 36 goals in 32 games whereas we have let in 40 in 33 games. We have scored a 104 mind! Only AFC Stoneham and Moneyfields have leaked less goals than Portland United.
🎯 Marksmen – Gregory Borthwick 14, Joe Wickham 7, Ben Morris 7, Ryan McKechnie 5, Thomas Doyle 5, Jack Delves 4, Luke Sheehy 4
Review – Avril 🐌
Photo – Portland United in recent action vs Laverstock & Ford.
Photo – James Spring
