The Blues inspecting the pitch at Longmeadow Sports Centre,

In a tightly contested Isuzu FA Vase match on Saturday, Whitchurch United emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Portland United, despite the visitors creating numerous chances throughout the game.

Kyle Critchell’s Portland side dominated possession and had several opportunities to score, but they were unable to find the finishing touch needed to break through Whitchurch’s resilient defence. The Blues’ efforts were in vain as they struggled to convert their chances into goals.

The decisive moment came in the 69th minute when Kieran Girdler found the back of the net for Whitchurch. His strike proved to be the difference, sending the home side into the next round of the competition and ending Portland’s hopes of a cup run.

Despite a spirited performance and relentless pressure from Portland, Whitchurch’s defence held firm for the remaining 25 minutes plus stoppage time, securing a memorable victory in front of their home crowd in Hampshire.

Portland will be left to rue their missed opportunities, while Whitchurch can celebrate a hard-fought win and look forward to the next round of the FA Vase.

Starting XI: Bruton; Bessant; Beale; Toms; Stuttle (90); Gadsby; Woolford (46); Coombs (55); Borthwick (72); Camp; Delves (55)

SUBS: Clarke (72); Husher (90); Scott(55); Williams (46); Jenkins (55)