DORCHESTER SPORTS 1

PORTLAND UNITED RES 1

A DISAPPOINTING first-half display from Dorchester Sports ultimately cost them two Dorset Premier League points as Portland United Reserves claimed a deserved 1-1 draw at the Clayson Stadium.

The Blues had centre-back Adam Anstey in goal from the start and the defender coped admirably with the extra responsibility.

Sports were sluggish with no intensity to their game and hardly threatened Anstey in the first half.

Portland took full advantage when they took the lead through Mo Hereka's good finish just before half-time.

However, Sports did have a chance to draw level from the penalty spot when Anstey took down Alex Stafie but Jamie Samways saw his attempt saved by the makeshift stopper in added first-half time.

Sports came out on the front foot in an improved second half and got the equaliser through Romanian striker Stafie with 20 minutes remaining.

Looking for the winner, Sports threw everything at the Blues but lacked composure and ideas in the final third.

Yet it was Portland who conjured a great chance to win it on 90 minutes, with Sol Roche poised to slot home on the break but Dan Peart was on hand to make a last-second challenge and keep parity.

Speaking to Echosport, Sports' boss Ashley James felt his side needed to put the result behind them.

He said: "It was a poor performance from us – lacklustre, no energy, especially in the first half.

"It was the poorest I've seen us play this season in the first half. We didn't test (Anstey) half as much as what we should have done.

"We were sloppy in our possession with passing and it's a Saturday we need to write off pretty quickly because that wasn't good enough.

"We wanted to try and hit the bottom corners with our finishing, but not really any strike of any sense went hard and low into the corners.

"(Anstey) is a big lad and whatever we threw at him nice and high, he dealt with pretty easily."

But the Sports' boss was quick to credit the diligent Blues, led by Rich Robson after former boss Chris Wilson stepped down in late October due to personal reasons.

James said: "They worked hard and deserved something from the game. They battled for everything.

"Fair play to them, they had a gameplan, were young and hungry – hungrier than us – and they definitely deserved their point."

Sports: Frost, Smith, A Gould (Turland 70), W Gould (P Thomas 65), Peart, G Will, Samways, Watts, Hill, Stafie, Quinton (Ross 60).