BRIDPORT RES 3

PORTLAND UNITED RES 1

A JOSH Hunter hat-trick saw Bridport Reserves to an eventually comfortable 3-1 win over Portland United Reserves at St Mary’s Field in the Dorset Premier League.

Portland started the brightest and took the lead on eight minutes when Aaron Ryan scored a rare headed goal from Callum Norman’s cross.

The Blues threatened and it could have been a bigger scoreline at half-time as Stefanos Stavrianos was denied twice by the home stopper, both times through one-on-one.

Josh Camp saw his corner bounce off the top of the home side’s crossbar before Reece Frost saw his low drive go inches wide of the post.

The Bees lost Josh Hull to a hamstring injury after 25 minutes, but they held the score to just a 1-0 half-time deficit.

In the second half, Bridport equalised when Josh Hunter tapped in, with the Blues looking for a flag that did not come. This seemed to be the turning point in the game as Bridport got on top of a young Portland side.

Bridport added their second midway through the half when Will Gape, in his last game of the season before he becomes stationed in Cyprus, played a neat ball to Hunter, who controlled with his chest before firing in a well-taken volley that found the far corner.

Hunter then sealed his hat-trick and the victory for Bridport, with a right-foot finish after a ball in from substitute Mika Mamanta.

Bridport Reserves boss Shaun Annetts, said: “They were much changed from the team we played back in September, they are a very young side, very energetic with some very talented youngsters.

“We weren’t at the races in the first half and we were a bit flat.

“It was a much, much improved performance right from the whistle in the second half.”

Portland United Reserves: Boore, Norman, Hankin, Beals, Butcher, Tennant, Stavrianos (Moore), Frost (Boatswain), Ryan, Wilson (Gould), Camp.

Bridport Reserves: Fleet, Baggs, Gray, Gall, Hull (Strelley 25), Wood, Gape, Jones, Weedon (Mamanta 80), Handyside (Ward 75), Hunter