Poole Borough Football Club
Season 2008/09

THE SEASON

Results, Reports & Fixtures

Latest News

Interactive League Tables

Appearances

Scorers

Borough Man of the Match


Sean Gallagher

Danny Gibbons
Made his debut for Borough

Borough Line-up
1. Andy Knights
2. Alex Grimason
3. John Bates (Moore 86)
4. Ross Mills (C)
5. Steve Tricky
6. Luke Stone (Pinder 79)
7. Mariusz Iglewski (Gallagher 86)
8. Kenny Strong n 42
9. Rodrigo Pons
10. Danny Gibbons
11. Joe Toghill

Substitutes
James Pinder (for Stone 79)
Sean Gallagher (for Iglewski 86)
Ryan Moore (for Bates 86)
Kieran Mulvey
Matt Morris

Portland
Carroll, Cranny, Dailey, Perkins, Clarke, Doidge, Litherland, Lamb, Marshallsay (Halloran 50), White (Linaker 50), Reader. Subs not used: Lambert, Williams

Scorers

Conditions
Mild and Overcast

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

Portland Colours
All Royal Blue

Direction of Play
Borough attacked Turlin Moor end first half

Officials
Referee: Mr J. Boulton
Assistants: Mr R. Chirnside & Mr C. Morris

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

Dorset Premier League
Saturday 7th March 2009

Sean Gallagher (15) celebrating his last minute equaliser

More Photos

An equaliser in the last minute of normal time from substitute Sean Gallagher saw Borough maintain their unbeaten home record against leaders Portland United, with the result a fair reflection on the 90 minutes, as two strong sides cancelled each other out for most of the game and both struggled to capitalise when chances came their way.

Former Bashley, Newport IOW and Poole Town striker Danny Gibbons made his Borough debut up front for the Hornets while Luke Stone retained his position on the right wing ahead of the returning James Pinder.

Borough keeper Andy Knights was the first of the gloveman in action after only four minutes when he did well to collect a curling shot from the left, but Portland were more often thwarted by the offside flag in the early exchanges, as they looked to catch the Hornets on the break.

The home side’s first chance came on 11 minutes when the ever dangerous Stone got free of a home defender down the right before crossing to the far post and Gibbons got his head to the ball, but was unable to steer it on target.

Kenny Strong also came close for Borough on the 15th minutes with a shot which went narrowly over, but the Hornets were nearly undone two minutes later when they lost the ball by the centre circle and a quick interchange by the Blues sent Matt White through on goal but with Knights quick to advance the visiting striker put his shot wide of the right hand upright.

Back came Borough and visiting keeper Nick Carroll had to be on his toes on 21 minutes to divert a curling Rodrigo Pons free kick from the edge of the area past his right hand post.

Four minutes later Borough had their best chance of the half when Stone wrong footed the Portland left back to whip in a low cross from the right and Pons dummied, allowing Joe Toghill a shot on goal from six yards out but somehow Carroll managed to block the shot from point blank range. However on the immediate counter attack Chris Reader was sent clear, but with Knights standing his ground the final shot cleared the bar.

Knights was in action again on 31 minutes, making a fine save at full stretch to deny an angled drive, while just before the break another Portland break away saw White through on goal again but once more he was unable to hit the target.

Half Time 0-0

An early chance fell to Borough after the break as Gibbons got onto the end of a free kick, but Carroll scrambled the ball past the post, however at the other end Knights had to be alert minutes later as he was quickly out of his area to intercept the ball after White again got clear of the home defence.

Again Borough came close with a set piece on 59 minutes when Pons floated in a free kick and Mariusz Iglewski got his head to the ball but it dropped just the wrong side of the upright.

As the half progressed Portland began to push Borough back, putting the home defence under significant pressure but the back line held together well and limited the Blues to a shot on the turn on 61 minutes which cleared the bar and a free kick from the left three minutes later which Knights did well to get a hand to.

Having weathered the pressure, Borough began to make inroads again down the other end and on 66 minutes Steve Tricky fired in a low shot from 25 yards out which went narrowly wide.

Further Borough pressure saw them begin to stretch the Portland back line once more with both Alex Grimason and Luke Stone testing the Blues down the right and on 77 minutes a Grimason run down the flank took him towards the by-line with his resulting centre picking out Pons who headed wide from 10 yards out.

However Borough found themselves behind on 79 minutes when another quick Portland break down the right saw the ball fed inside to Ross Doidge whose snap shot was palmed away by Kinghts, but the loose ball struck John Bates who was tracking back and rolled over the line. 0-1.

Borough pushed forward looking for a way back and Gibbons came close with a volley which went narrowly wide. With just four minutes remaining, Paul Harding made a double substitution, bringing on Ryan Moore and Sean Gallagher and pushing three up front against a Portland side now urged by their management to run the ball into the corners and allow the clock to tick down.

And the gamble paid off for the Hornets in the last minute of normal time when a battling run from Toghill got him to the left by-line and he pulled the ball back into the area where initially Pons saw his close range shot blocked by a defender but Gallagher was on hand to tuck home the rebound, much to the delight of the home crowd. 1-1.