Match report by David Ring.

Portland United took an early lead away at Hamble Club but ultimately fell to a 3-1 defeat in the Wessex League.

Debutant James Coat whipped in a superb cross inside two minutes, with Freddie Beale setting up Lewis Toms to score on the rebound. However, Hamble hit back almost immediately, with Will Gauge converting from a left-sided delivery.

Portland thought they’d regained the lead after 13 minutes, but a foul on the Hamble keeper saw the goal ruled out. The Blues held firm until the hour mark, but two second-half set-piece goals from James Johnson and Harry Hamilton put the game beyond reach.

Joint manager Kyle Critchell didn’t mince words afterwards, calling his team’s defending “powderpuff” and saying: “You can’t defend like that at this level. Their defenders wanted to defend—ours didn’t.”