Image: Michelle Carr
Match Report: Dave Ring
Baffins Milton Rovers 1-0 Portland United
Saturday 14th March 2026, 3:00pm
PMC Stadium
Attendance, 62
Portland United returned from the PMC Stadium empty-handed after a tight contest in Portsmouth, where a second-half strike from Casey Bartlett-Scott proved the difference on a bright, sunny afternoon.
The Blues started the game positively and came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening half. After a fairly even opening period, Portland carved out the best chance on 25 minutes when Remus Nixon found space inside the box and struck a deflected effort that cannoned back off the crossbar with the Baffins defence scrambling.
Earlier in the half, the hosts had been forced into an early change when Jason Parish was unable to continue and was replaced by Lewis Beale after just eight minutes. Chances were otherwise limited, although Baffins threatened when David Smith-Alferez surged down the right and delivered a low cross that Harvey Wellham could not quite turn goalwards.
A rash challenge from Greg Borthwick on Conor Bailey around the half-hour mark resulted in only a stern talking to from the referee, and with neither side able to find the decisive final touch, the teams went into the interval deadlocked at 0-0.
Portland began the second half brightly but fell behind on 53 minutes when Casey Bartlett-Scott found the breakthrough for Baffins Milton Rovers to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The Blues responded with changes on the hour mark, Josh Camp and Euan Joyce replacing Greg Borthwick and Jack Delves, before Kriss Radivojsa made way for Patrick Jenkins in the 72nd minute as Portland searched for a route back into the contest.
Baffins came close to extending their lead when Chad Cornwell delivered a dangerous cross from the right that nearly caught Callum Smalley out, but the Portland goalkeeper reacted well to tip the ball over the bar.
With time running out, Portland handed a debut to 16-year-old Ellis Moles, who replaced Jacob Coombs in the 86th minute to become the latest youngster to step up into the first-team squad.
Despite a determined effort in the closing stages, the Blues were unable to find an equaliser and Baffins Milton Rovers held firm to secure all three points.
Portland will look to bounce back quickly as they return to action in their next league fixture away to Hamble Club on Tuesday evening (7:45pm).
Baffins Milton Rovers: Kramer, Bello, Bailey, Messenbird (C), Clark, Thorpe, Smith-Alferez, Sargeant, Parish, Wellham, Bartlett-Scott.
Substitutes: Beale, Bell, Oakwell, Truckel, Cornwell.
Portland United: Smalley, Coombs, Corbridge, Cleaver, Gadsby, Delves, Morris, Williams (C), Borthwick, Nixon, Jenkins.
Substitutes: Camp, Moles, Joyce, Symes, Radivojsa.
