9:09am Tuesday 9th February 2010
By Derek Bish
Portland UNITED 1 HOLT UNITED 4
PORTLAND United had a day to forget as their four-match unbeaten streak came to an end at home to Holt United in the Dorset Premier League.
Polish forward Mariusz Iglewski pole-axed the home side inside 180 seconds before Dave Perry made it 2-0 just eight minutes later.
Rob Brackley scored twice for Holt in the second half, with Portland substitute Mitch Conning netting a consolation in between.
“I would put this down to a bad day at the office,” said Blues’ coach Micky Greeno.
“We were two goals down in no time due to our own mistakes – the players have got to realise that they have to mark people.
“But we’ll keep going and it’s the way it is. We’ve got a lot of young lads and it is disheartening when you see them get beaten.
“We do have a few more experienced players and some of them let us down I’m afraid.“We’ll kick on, get training and try and get it right.”
Lloyd Cranny, Jimmy Dailey and Alex Godfrey were among those missing, and Greeno believes that may have had some impact on his team’s showing.
He said: “That just showed to me how good a player Alex Godfrey is because we missed him.”
The match started badly for Portland as a breakaway from Holt saw one simple ball find Iglewski on the inside right channel and the Polish forward provided a polished finish, burying the ball beyond Nick Carroll at his near post.
Holt’s compact formation stopped Portland playing and doubled their advantage when the home side failed to clear a corner and Perry rifled home from eight yards.
A stop-start game, not helped by the constant blowing of his whistle by referee Ian Knauer, saw five players get booked, mainly out of frustration – Carl Mutch, Lewis Whyton, Dan Skelton and Joe Charles for the Blues.
A seven-minute stoppage after linesman Colin Morris tripped and fell – he was eventually replaced by Wyke resident Thomas Davison – did not help matters but Holt adjusted to it best when Simon Edwards robbed Skelton following a poor pass from Liam Miles and the Holt player crossed from the right for substitute Brackley to tuck in his side’s third at the near post.
The introduction of Yeovil loannee Conning, on for a below-par Mutch, finally woke Portland from their slumber and he netted with his first touch after a clever pass from Tommy Hastie.
But that only delayed Holt’s misery and Brackley latched on to Edwards’ pass to beat the advancing Nick Carroll in the third minute of stoppage time.
Although the overall performance was poor, Greeno did reserve special mention for Conning and said: “Mitch is a decent player and he’s going to make a name for himself when he’s older, but he needed a goal and he took it well.”
Blues: Carroll, J Charles, Skelton (Maxted 69), Perkins, Clarke, Miles (D Charles 65), Churchill, Halloran, Whyton, Mutch (Conning 62), Hastie. Subs not used: Smith, Greatrex.
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