Poole Borough Football Club
Season 2008/09

THE SEASON

Results, Reports & Fixtures

Latest News

Interactive League Tables

Appearances

Scorers

Dan Burton
A series of fine saves to keep
Boro in the game

Borough Line-up
1. Dan Burton
2. Alex Grimason (Young 79)
3. Ross Mills
4. Wayne Crutcher (C)
5. Steve Tricky
6. James Pinder
7. Martin Sault
8. John Bates
9. Simon Landers (L. Crutcher 71)
10. Ken Strong
11. Joe Toghill (Williams 79)

Substitutes
Luke Crutcher n 76 (for Landers 71)
Dan Young (for Grimason 79)
Darryll Williams (for Toghill 79)
Matt Morris
Lee Rockingham

Scorers

Conditions
Bright and sunny but cold

Borough Colours
Gold & Black Hooped Shirts, Black Shorts & Socks

Portland Colours
All Royal Blue

Direction of Play
Borough defended club house end first half

Officials
Referee: Mr C. Watson
Assistants: Mr P. Mason & Mr T. Davison

	Portland United (1) 1,
	Poole Borough (0) 0.

Dorset Premier League
Saturday 6th December 2008

Simon Landers (9) challenging for the ball in midfield

More Photos

Borough's third attempt to break their duck at the New Grove Corner ended in a narrow defeat against a rejuvenated Portland United side under their new manager Stuart Heath but despite the Hornets going down to ten men 15 minutes before the end they battled to the final whistle but were unable to break through a solid home defence.

The home side were quick out of the blocks and forced a corner in the first minute which a home striker just failed to get his head to at the far post, but a minute later a Joe Toghill free kick from wide on the left picked out Simon Landers in the area, but his first time shot was of target.

Another early chance fell to Portland's Matt White on four minutes when he latched onto a long ball forward, but his shot from the edge of the area went over, while Borough came close again four minutes later when Ken Strong headed on a deep free kick from Ross Mills which James Pinder latched onto by the right hand post, but he steered his shot wide. Minutes later Simon Lander challenged home keeper Nick Carroll for a Toghill left wing cross which saw the gloveman sustain a shoulder injury but following lengthy treatment he remained on the field.

As the half continued Portland had the majority of possession, with Borough at times forced to defend in numbers, but there was nothing to trouble Dan Burton in the visiting goal until the 32nd minute when a quickly taken free kick allowed Adam Linaker through on goal, but Burton did well to palm away the shot.

With his injury still troubling him, Carroll finally made way between the sticks to be replaced by defender Adam Ansty but the Blues were still creating the majority of pressure and they took the lead on 41 minutes when a quick break away sent Alex Hollaran through to the edge of the area where he centred to Matt White who converted with a diving header from 10 yards out. 1-0.

In first half injury time Burton again was well placed to deny a close range shot from Linaker with a fine block to keep Borough in the game at the break.

Half Time 1-0.

Borough stepped up their game after the restart and almost immediately Pinder went close with a shot on the volley which went narrowly wide. And the woodwork came to Portland's rescue on 56 minutes when Landers headed on a cross into the area and Toghill running in from the left connected with a powerful drive which cannoned off the angle between post and bar with Pinder shooting wide on the follow up. Two minutes later a deep cross from the left by Martin Sault picked out Pinder in the area, but his header went over.

With Borough committing numbers forward, gaps began to appear at the back and Portland came close to doubling their lead on 59 minutes as a long range shot from Callum Ross-Jennins took a deflection off the boot of Ross Mills to loop over Burton but came back off the bar. On 61 minutes another Portland attack down the left saw Burton do well to parry the resulting shot but with a home forward on hand to tuck home the rebound, Borough were relieved to see the linesman flagging for offside.

Back came Borough and on 69 minutes a long ball forward from Wayne Crutcher sent Toghill into space down the left and the Borough forward rode a tackle before whipping in a low cross which Landers was only inches from steering home at the near post.

Borough however suffered a major setback on 76 minutes when substitute Luke Crutcher was shown a straight red card after he reacted to provocation from Portland's Matt Jones by pushing away the Blues midfielder when he failed to retreat 10 yards after conceding foul and subsequently preventing a quick free kick being taken, leaving the Blues midfielder rewarded for his role as the principle protagonist with just a caution.

A minute later Burton was in action again, blocking a shot at point blank range, but in the final minutes despite the numerical disadvantage it was Borough who continued to pressure as they looked to find a way through a solid home defence, while Portland were content to run the ball into the corners and allow the clock to tick down on their third straight home victory against the Hornets.