Image: Connor Age 13.
Match Report: Dave Ring
Portland United 4, Hythe & Dibden 1
Saturday 7th March 2026, 3:00pm
Camp & Satherley Stadium
Attendance, 170
Portland United’s push for a Wessex Premier League play off place gathered further momentum on Saturday afternoon as the Blues produced a commanding 4-1 victory over Hythe & Dibden at the Camp & Satherley Stadium.
On a cold and foggy day on the Isle of Portland, visibility was limited but the home side’s intent was crystal clear from the outset. With the visitors having enjoyed the upper hand in the previous meetings between the two sides earlier in the campaign, Portland were determined to show just how far they have come since those early season setbacks.
Hythe & Dibden had claimed a 3-1 victory in the FA Cup extra preliminary round at the start of the season and followed that up with a 4-1 league win in September. This time, however, it was a very different story.
The Blues started brightly and controlled much of the opening half, probing patiently while restricting the visitors to only fleeting moments going forward. Their pressure was finally rewarded on 35 minutes when Callum Corbridge rose highest inside the penalty area to power home a superb header, giving Portland a deserved 1-0 lead.
It was a breakthrough that lifted the home crowd and ensured the Blues went into the interval with their noses firmly in front.
The second half began very much in the same vein, Portland continuing to dictate proceedings and looking the more likely side to extend their advantage. That second goal arrived on 66 minutes and it was another header that did the damage. Jacob Coombs met the delivery with a thunderous effort that flew beyond the Hythe goalkeeper, doubling the Blues’ lead and putting them firmly in control.
Despite the thick fog continuing to blanket the ground, Portland’s vision in the final third remained sharp. On 75 minutes, Sam Gadsby stepped up to calm any lingering nerves, hammering home emphatically to make it 3,0 and effectively put the contest beyond doubt.
Chances continued to appear at both ends as the game opened up, but it was Portland who struck again on 80 minutes. The ever reliable Greg Borthwick, a constant menace to opposition defences, drilled home from close range to make it 4,0 and cap another impressive attacking display.
Hythe & Dibden managed to grab a late consolation goal, but it did little to take the shine off a dominant Portland performance as the final whistle confirmed a 4-1 victory for the Blues.
The result strengthens Portland United’s position firmly inside the play off places. The Blues now sit level on points with second placed Hamble Club, but crucially with a game in hand as the race for promotion continues to gather pace.
Portland United: Smalley, Coombs, Peach, Cleaver, Gadsby, Corbridge, Morris, Williams, Nixon, Jenkins, Delves,
Substitutes: Borthwick, Camp, Scott, Radivojsa, Norman.
