Image: Michelle Carr
Match Report: Dave Ring
Portland United v Larkhall Athletic
Southern League Division One South
Saturday 19th September 2026 – 3:00pm
Camp & Satherley Stadium
Attendance: 237
Portland United produced a superb second-half performance to sweep aside Larkhall Athletic 4–1 at Camp & Satherley Stadium, turning a blustery afternoon on the Royal Manor into another memorable Southern League victory.
With a strong wind sweeping across the ground, the conditions were always going to play their part. Larkhall had the advantage of the elements in the opening 45 minutes, but Portland defended resolutely and refused to be blown off course. The Blues would have the wind at their backs after the interval, and they made it count in emphatic fashion.
The first half was a battle of patience and discipline rather than flowing football. Larkhall looked to use the conditions to their advantage, but Callum Smalley and the Portland defence stood firm, dealing with the aerial threat and preventing the visitors from turning their territorial advantage into clear chances.
Portland’s best moments came when they managed to get the ball down and play, although the swirling wind made life difficult for both sides. The Blues knew that remaining within touching distance at half-time could prove crucial, and so it proved.
Just seven minutes before the break, Larkhall finally found a way through. Sam Boulton got on the scoresheet in the 38th minute to give the visitors a 1–0 lead, leaving Portland facing the prospect of turning around at half-time behind despite having coped impressively with the conditions.
But there was never any sense that the game had escaped Portland.
Whatever was said in the dressing room at half-time, the Blues emerged with renewed purpose, and with the wind now behind them, they suddenly had a completely different proposition to work with.
The equaliser arrived on 55 minutes and it was the start of a remarkable spell of football. Patrick Jenkins restored parity, giving Portland the platform they needed and immediately shifting the momentum of the contest.
Larkhall were suddenly under pressure, and just two minutes later Portland were ahead.
Jacob Coombs found the net in the 57th minute to turn the game on its head, with the Blues now making full use of the conditions that had caused them so many problems during the opening half.
And Portland were not finished.
Gregory Borthwick, introduced for Remus Nixon, made his mark almost immediately, adding Portland’s third goal in the 66th minute. The Blues were now rampant, with Larkhall struggling to cope with the pressure and the wind behind a Portland side that had grown in confidence with every passing minute.
Three became four just three minutes later.
Coombs struck again in the 69th minute to complete a remarkable turnaround and put Portland firmly in command at 4–1. Having gone into half-time trailing by a single goal, the Blues had produced four goals in just 14 minutes of the second half.
From there, Portland managed the remainder of the contest intelligently. Larkhall could find no route back into the game, while the Blues continued to look comfortable in conditions that had tested both sides throughout the afternoon.
The final whistle confirmed an excellent 4–1 victory, but the scoreline only tells part of the story. Portland had shown the character to withstand Larkhall’s first-half advantage before making their own advantage count spectacularly after the break.
It was a performance built on resilience, adaptability and a ruthless second-half burst, with Portland clearly the side that coped best with the blustery conditions.
The Blues now have another Southern League victory to celebrate, and on an afternoon when the wind threatened to dictate proceedings, Portland United showed that they were more than capable of taking matters into their own hands.
PORTLAND UNITED: Callum Smalley, Jacob Coombs, Tom Peach, Josh Williams (capt), Callum Corbridge, Sam Gadsby, Archie Woolford, Jack Delves, Remus Nixon, Ben Morris, Patrick Jenkins.
SUBSTITUTES: Connor Dunesby-Bent, Hayden Scott, Harley Brook, Josh Camp, Greg Borthwick.
LARKHALL ATHLETIC: Liam Armstrong, Charlie Sidhu, Jeff Barimah, Sam Boulton (capt), Lewis Graham, Jack Camm, Jeff Forkuo, Josh Morgan, Ben Cleary, Milo Murgatroyd, Freddie King.
SUBSTITUTES: Jack Goodall, Will Banks, Seb Scott, Alex Camm, Jensen Wakefield.
HALF-TIME: Portland United 0–1 Larkhall Athletic
FULL-TIME: Portland United 4–1 Larkhall Athletic
ATTENDANCE: 237
REFEREE: Spencer Chinnock
