Skip to main content

Portland United v Dorchester Town

7.45pm  1 December 2015

Dorset Senior Cup, Quarter Final
Portland United 0 Dorchester Town 1 (att 231)

The last time I was on the isle of Portland I arrived at United's New Grove Corner ground to learn the game had been postponed. The was a few years ago, and as it's not the easiest place to get to (at least when you live in Manchester) I was relieved there were no such problems ahead of this tie.

Portland are flying high at the top of the Wessex League's second tier, having stepped up from the Dorset Premier League last summer, but were underdogs for the visit of one of the county's footballing big guns.

It wasn't the greatest of games. The strong wind didn't help, but I imagine the breeze is a feature of many games on the island. Portland had the conditions in their favour in the first half, and their best chance of success was to make the most of it.

Instead the first half ended goalless, with few clear chances for either side. Dorchester got the all important goal with around 20 minutes left, and having gone in front never looked in any real danger of conceding.

The New Grove Corner ground is a great one for this level of football. There's an excellent clubhouse, as well as a covered area and a refreshment bar, behind the goal, and a seated stand on one side. The opposite side has a steep grass bank, giving an excellent view of the action. The venue looks well looked after, and the club is obviously well supported.









Comments