Image: Ray McNabb.

Match Report: Dave Ring

HOLT UNITED U18 4–3 PORTLAND UNITED U18
League – Sunday 26th October, Gaunts Common Playing Fields

Portland United’s U18s were dragged into a full-blooded Sunday epic at Gaunts Common, where seven goals, a shared red-card controversy and a late surge of drama saw Holt United edge a breathless 4–3 thriller.

Portland burst into life from the first whistle, sharp in possession and fearless going forward. Their intent was rewarded on 11 minutes, when Roy stepped up to bury a pressure-penalty, silencing the home crowd and putting the young Blues deservedly in front.

But this game had chaos stitched into its fabric.

Holt clawed themselves back into the contest through sheer direct play, forcing Portland onto the back foot. A frantic spell followed, and though Portland continued to create, Holt struck back before the break to shift the momentum. Yet just as the half seemed set to drift to a close, Moles pounced on 41 minutes, smashing home a composed finish to haul Portland level and spark fresh belief.

Then came the flashpoint.

On 43 minutes, tempers exploded, players clashed and the referee reached straight for red, a double dismissal, with Hepburn and a Holt player both sent off, turning a fierce contest into an emotional battleground. The match restarted with ten versus ten and an atmosphere crackling with tension.

The second half became an open, stretched shoot-out. Holt landed the first punches, capitalising on gaps as the game turned end-to-end. But Portland refused to fold. Substitutions reshaped the flow, fresh legs drove the press, and the Blues went hunting for a lifeline.

They found it in style.

With 84 minutes on the clock, it was Moles again, drilling home his second of the match to drag Portland back into touching distance and ignite a grand-stand finish. Holt, rattled and clinging on, retreated into survival mode as Portland threw everything forward.

The final moments were all Portland, wave after wave, attack after attack, but somehow Holt clung to their lead. When the whistle finally blew, the home side sank with relief, while Portland were left staring at the turf in frustration, knowing they had given every last drop.

It may go down as a defeat, but in spirit and fight, Portland showed something more: heart, hunger, and the look of a side that will cause trouble for anyone in this league.