Image: Connor U13
Match Report: Dave Ring
Dorset Premier Football League
Saturday 21st February – Camp & Satherley Stadium (2:00pm)
On a sodden, fog-drenched afternoon at the Camp & Satherley Stadium on the Royal Manor, this Dorset Premier League basement battle had everything, tension, grit, missed chances and a grandstand finish that nobody saw coming.
With the Blues hovering just above the drop zone in 16th and the Bees propping up the table in 18th, the stakes could not have been higher. It was never going to be pretty. It was always going to be a scrap. And so it proved.
Both sides emerged from the mist with intent, snapping into tackles and trying to impose themselves despite the greasy surface. The early exchanges were frantic, nerves jangling on both benches. The Blues had a golden opportunity to seize control on 24 minutes when they were awarded a penalty. The chance to settle the nerves slipped agonisingly away as the spot kick was missed, and football being football, the punishment was swift.
Moments later, Freddy Kenway stepped up and made no mistake for the visitors, drilling home to give Poole Borough a 0-1 lead. In conditions that made control difficult and clear chances scarce, it was a huge blow. The remainder of the half was a war of attrition, Portland battling for a foothold while the Bees defended doggedly to carry their advantage into the break.
The second half followed a similar pattern, scrappy, committed, tense. Then on 51 minutes, fortune finally smiled on the Blues. A dangerous ball into the box caused panic in the Borough defence and, under pressure, a defender turned it into his own net. 1-1, and suddenly belief surged through the home side.
Parity did not last long. On 62 minutes, Freddie Travers restored the visitors’ lead with a clinical finish that silenced the home support and threatened to tilt the survival fight firmly in the Bees’ favour at 1-2.
From there, Poole Borough’s back line stood resolute, clearing lines, blocking shots and eating up precious seconds. As the clock ticked down, it looked as though Portland’s earlier penalty miss would define the afternoon.
But football has a habit of writing its own script.
With the very last kick of the game, deep into stoppage time, the ball fell invitingly to Igor Da Costa. There was no hesitation. He fired home through bodies and beyond the despairing reach of the keeper to spark wild celebrations and rescue a priceless point.
In truth, neither side could claim full control in a game dictated by weather and pressure. But in a relegation dogfight, sometimes character matters more than quality. On a day when defeat would have stung deeply, the Blues refused to lie down.
Final score: Portland United Reserves 2 Poole Borough 2.
