Poole Borough Football Club
Season 2007/08

THE SEASON

Results, Reports & Fixtures

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Appearances

Scorers

Borough Line-up
1. Wayne Robbins
2. Lee Cobb
3. Matt Morris
4. Dan Young
5. Kenny Strong
6. Gary Fooks
7. John Bates - C (replaced Squire 72)
8. Andy Barham
9. Lee Thomas
10. Scott Bedward
11. Steve Russell (replaced Mordew 50)

Substitutes
Scott Mordew (for Russell 50)
Chris Squire (for Bates 72)
Jason Phillips

Scorers

Conditions
Dry, overcast in first half with sunny spells after the break. No wind!

Borough Colours
Gold Shirts with Black trim, Black Shorts & Socks

Portland Colours
Navy Shirts with White trim, Navy Shorts & Socks.

Direction of Play
Borough attacked club end first half

Officials
Referee: Mr R. Brittain
Assistants: TBA & 1 x Club Official

	Portland United (1) 2,
	Poole Borough (0) 0.

Dorset Premier League
Saturday 3rd November 2007

A goal at the beginning of each half was enough for Portland secure victory at Grove Corner but Borough battled well and had they managed to convert during a significant spell of pressure in the second half, it may well have changed the complexion of the game.

Borough had the worst possible start as the home side went one up after only three minutes when the Hornets defence struggled to clear a low cross into the area and Matt White dispatched the loose ball. However after a difficult few minutes Borough began to settle and looked dangerous down the right with debutant Lee Cobb impressing at wing back.

The styles contrasted with Borough looking to carve out chances with a passing game while Portland's more direct technique saw them quick to pump the ball forwards down the channels and the approach nearly paid off on 14 minutes resulting in a low cross into the middle which picked out a home forward unmarked but he shot straight at Wayne Robbins. A minute later Kenny Strong had to clear a low cross for a corner, and from the resulting flag kick the ball was headed wide at the far post.

Borough's first clear chance came on 17 minutes when Gary Fooks curled a free kick goalwards from the edge of the area, but home keeper Paul Gadsby got down well to collect. Two minutes later Gadsby was in action again when Cobb latched on a clearance from a corner and his low drive was turned past the post at full stretch by the veteran gloveman.

Gadsby was also on hand to collect a quickly taken free-kick from Steve Russell on 23 minutes, while minutes later Portland created another opportunity which resulted in a shot which Robbins easily collected.

On 33 minutes Borough broke through the home defence after Scott Bedward received the ball on the edge of the area and slid a pass into the path of Lee Thomas putting him clear through on goal, but he hesitated as he looked to lift the ball over the advancing Gadsby and a home defender got across well to block. A minute later Borough were awarded a free kick wide on the right and Andy Barham slipped a low ball to Bedward five yards out and in front of goal, but his shot was deflected wide, while Thomas latched on to the resulting corner but the final shot went narrowly the wrong side of the post..

Portland though finished the half on the attack and Robbins made a fine fingertip save to divert a deflected shot wide of the post.

Half Time 1-0

Within four minutes of the restart Borough came agonisingly close to drawing level when Russell intercepted a defensive pass wide on the left and got to the by-line before pulling the ball back across the goal but there was no one on hand to convert the cross.

And Borough were punished three minutes later when a scrambled defensive clearance was sent back into the visitors area, and with the Hornets defence looking or an offside decision, Adam Linaker found himself in acres of space to convert.

Borough though continued to pressure their hosts and on 66 minutes Scott Bedward battled down the right before centring to Thomas, but he was unable to get a clear shot on goal an the ball was cleared. Five minutes later Robbins was in action after a Dan Young miskicked clearance appeared to have looped over his head, but he scrambled back to tip the ball over the bar.

Borough continued to push forward and Cobb saw a dipping shot from 30 yards out collected by Gadsby while Thomas appeared to have shaken off his defender to latch onto a through ball, but he was pulled back by a dubious offside flag.

However there was no way back for the Hornets, and they could well have gone a further goal down in the final minutes when a Portland breakaway saw a home forward clear through, but Robbins produced another fine save to divert the shot past the post.