Image: courtesy of Dave Wagner.
Match Report: Dave Ring
AFC Stoneham 4 – 1 Portland United
Saturday 23rd August 2025 (3:00pm) – Stoneham Lane, Hampshire FA
On a sweltering Saturday afternoon at the Hampshire FA headquarters, Portland United endured a tough outing on the artificial surface as they fell 4–1 to an efficient AFC Stoneham side.
The Blues started brightly, dominating possession and looking the sharper of the two teams in the early stages. However, against the run of play, Stoneham struck first on 13 minutes. A through ball from Lewis Nagle found Duarte Martins, whose immaculate first touch took him past keeper Harry Foden before calmly rolling the ball into the net.
Seven minutes later, Martins doubled his tally. Portland failed to deal with a free-kick into the box, and when the ball broke loose, Martins drilled a low effort across goal into the far corner to make it 2–0.
The hosts almost added a third soon after when they were awarded a free-kick just outside the Portland box, a decision that looked harsh with the foul seemingly inside the area. The strike that followed was thunderous, but Foden produced a stunning low save to deny the Purps and keep his side in the contest.
That save proved vital as Portland clawed their way back into the game on 38 minutes. A perfectly delivered cross was met by Greg Borthwick, who rose highest to guide a looping header over Tom Jobe in the Stoneham goal, halving the deficit. The Blues could have gone in level at the break, only to be denied by a desperate goal-line clearance from Tom Annetts.
Managerial changes at half-time saw Portland introduce Jamie Symes, Marcus Smith and Josh Camp, replacing Sam Gadsby, Jamie Cleaver and Hayden Scott. The triple switch gave the Blues renewed balance, with the game becoming more even and both sides creating chances.
Portland’s best opportunity to equalise arrived in the 54th minute when Borthwick tried to lob Jobe, but the keeper pulled off an outstanding fingertip save to turn the ball over the bar.
The visitors looked to push on, introducing the industrious Archie Woolford on 64 minutes. But hopes were dashed eight minutes later when Martins completed his hat-trick. A poor Portland clearance allowed a header to be recycled into the box, and Martins volleyed the ball down and over Foden to make it 3–1.
With the game effectively over, Stoneham added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time. Annetts won possession on halfway, played in Ugwumba, and then received the return pass on the overlap. A composed first touch took him into the box before he rolled the ball neatly into the bottom corner to seal a 4–1 victory.
For Portland, it was a sobering afternoon against a strong Stoneham side, with Martins’ clinical finishing proving the difference. The Blues will now look to regroup quickly as they turn their attention to the Velocity Wessex League Cup, where they host Downton FC on Tuesday evening at the Camp & Satherley Stadium.
AFC Stoneham: Tom Jobe, Jake Thomson, Lewis Nagle, Arty Kerton, Dan Miller, Ash Wells, Tom Annetts, Alex Welch (C), Brett Williams, Liam Callaghan, Duarte Martins.
Substitutes: Ryan Cluett, Chika Ugwumba, Lewie Slade, Kelvin Robinson, Dan Thompson.
Portland United: Harry Foden, Jacob Coombs, Connor Callow, Jamie Cleaver, Sam Gadsby, Callum Corbridge, Patrick Jennings, Josh Williams (C), Greg Borthwick, Hayden Scott, Remus Nixon.
Substitutes: Josh Camp, Jamie Symes, James Coats, Marcus Smith, Archie Woolford.
