Horndean 0 AFC Portchester 3: HORNDEAN endured a miserable evening last Tuesday when they were well beaten by AFC Portchester.

The Deans finished the game with nine men after picking up two red cards during the 90 minutes.

The first half hour of the match was fairly even until captain Ash Howes was shown a straight red card.

From then on the visitors used their numerical advantage to record what proved to be a comfortable victory for them thanks to three goals in the second half.

The first half was a tight, even affair with both sides probing each other’s defence in search of an opening.

Portchester lost Olly Searle to a head injury after 22 minutes but four minutes later they had the first chance of the game when Jason Parish pulled the ball across goal from the right to Dan Wooden but he couldn’t get any power behind his shot and keeper Lloyd Thomas made an easy save.

The Deans were reduced to ten men on 30 minutes when their captain Ash Howes was shown a straight red card for a reckless-looking tackle on the halfway line.

The resulting free kick was floated into the penalty area and both Wooden and Nathan Paxton jumped for the ball. It then fell into the path of Rob Evans but his first-time shot lacked power and accuracy and dribbled wide.

Horndean almost snatched the lead on 33 minutes when they won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area.

Ben Anderson fired his shot on goal and keeper Brad Snelling had to dive to his right to push the ball away for a corner.

The Deans made a quick start to the second half when two minutes after the interval, the ball was played up the right to Liam Kimber who then played it inside to Greg Peel, and his shot from 15 yards forced Snelling to get down quickly to make a low save.

Portchester took the lead on 51 minutes in spectacular fashion when the ball was played forward down the left from midfield.

Parish picked up the ball and as Tee Kanjanda lost his footing, the Royals’ striker cut inside his marker before curling his shot from 20 yards past Thomas and into the far top corner.

Two minutes later the visitors had a chance to double their advantage when Wooden fired his low free kick from 25 yards into the near post and Thomas just about smothered the fierce shot at his feet.

The visitors made it 2-0 on 58 minutes when Steve Ramsey took a corner from the left and his inswinging cross was glanced into the net by Parish from two yards.

Portchester went close again a minute later when they swept forward down the right.

The ball eventually found Wooden but he put his first- time shot straight at Thomas.

The third goal for the visitors came on 67 minutes after Wooden spread play out to the left where Joe Noakes surged forward.

His cross found Ramsey just inside the penalty area and he thumped his shot into the roof of the net.

Horndean’s miserable evening got worse two minutes later when Fuzz Kanjanda was given his marching orders after picking up his second yellow card of the game.

Portchester were able to comfortably see out the match against nine men. On 72 minutes Evans received the ball from the right wing and sent his low shot past Thomas but just wide of the target.

With two minutes remaining Ramsey’s shot forced Thomas to dive to his right to push the ball away from goal.