AFC Portchester 0 Horndean 1: HORNDEAN left it late to claim all three points from their Wessex Premier Division trip to Portchester last Thursday night.
Harry Jackson netted the winner four minutes from time after the home side were reduced to ten men in the later stages of the game.
The Deans deserved the win as they dominated possession throughout the game but they struggled to unlock the home side’s defence in the last third of the pitch.
On 28 minutes Portchester went close to scoring when Joe Bye fired a corner from the left towards goal. Keeper Thomas Lloyd misjudged the flight of the ball and was relieved to see it bounce off the far post after it had sailed over him.
The second half started with the visitors going close to scoring when Jackson broke clear down the right and played the ball inside to Benny Reed, who unleashed a low shot which Lewis Noice blocked with his legs.
There was a bit of needle in the match throughout the 90 minutes and as frustrations grew Portchester’s Matt Page received his marching orders after picking up two yellow cards.
Horndean used the extra man to good effect by keeping the ball and making Portchester work hard to try and win back possession and this tactic saw them get the winning goal on 86 minutes.
The visitors broke down the left and as Fuzz Kanjanda cut inside, a defender slipped and this gave him time to square the ball across the face of goal to find Jackson unmarked and he smashed his shot into the net.