Hartpury FC suffered a 2-0 defeat to Portland United at the Camp & Satherley Stadium, in the Southern League Div One South on Saturday.
The Acorns saw just one change to the side that defeated Shaftesbury last Saturday, with Rory Preston coming in for the injured Billy Osborn.
It was a fast start from both sides, as Connor Dunesby-Bent headed back across goal for Portland, but Seth Locke was down extremely well to deny the attacker inside the opening minute.
Up the other end, Rory Preston saw a close ranged effort turned behind before Louis Manning curled an effort past the post following the resulting corner.
Nathan Jenkins almost picked out the top left corner from 20-yards, on 18 minutes, but Toby Stainer-Reid in the Portland goal produced a stretching save to deny the Acorns.
Moments later, Kian Davies tried to replicate that shot but saw it flash past the post.
The Acorns were handed a let off on 24 minutes when Patrick Jenkins was slotted through one-on-one before beating Locke with his effort, however it luckily rolled past the far post.
Nathan Jenkins saw a low effort blocked into the path of Preston, who volleyed his effort just over the bar on 31 minutes.
A minute later, Noah Coates looped a header over the bar from close range, following a dangerous Manning cross.
Patrick Jenkins glanced a header wide for Portland on 37 minutes.
The Acorns threw their bodies on the line to block a Patrick Jenkins free-kick and follow up effort, on 42 minutes, before Archie Woolford’s low effort rebounded back off the post for Portland.
That brought an end to a tightly contested first period with the game sent into the break goalless.
HALF TIME – PORTLAND UNITED 0-0 HARTPURY FC
The Acorns started on the front foot in the second period with Jesse Aldridge firing over from just inside the area, on 48 minutes, following a Manning cut back.
Davies placed an inch perfect through ball into the path of Nathan Jenkins, on 54 minutes, but Jenkins saw his poked effort smothered by Stainer-Reid.
But it would be Portland who broke the deadlock when Harley Brook followed up a deflected shot off the post to put the hosts ahead, on 56 minutes.
Nathan Jenkins almost had the Acorns level on 65 minutes when, following his driving run from halfway, got a low driven effort away which was spilled backwards by Stainer-Reid, who luckily got back in time to stop the ball rolling in.
That ked to Portland doubling their lead when Gregory Borthwick picked out the top corner from 18-yards on 73 minutes, after having only been on the pitch for less than a minute.
The Acorns tried to throw everything at Portland, as we attempted to find a way back into the game, but nothing came about seeing the Acorns suffer their first defeat in six games.
The Acorns don’t have to wait long to put this result behind them, as we face Bishops Cleeve at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium on Tuesday night and you can grab your tickets for that game NOW!
FULL TIME – PORTLAND UNITED 2-0 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Robinson (Symons 78’), Kent ©, Walters (Callow 86’), Ewing (Hyett 82’), Jenkins, Davies, Aldridge, Coates (McGregor 46’), Manning, Preston (Sanniola 67’)
PORTLAND XI: Stainer-Reid (GK), Coombs, Streams, Cleaver, Gadsby, Brook, Williams ©, Dunesby-Bent, P. Jenkins, Woolford, Corbridge
PORLAND BENCH: Camp, Morris, Scott, Borthwick, Peach
ATTENDANCE: 287
Written by Sam Yapp
