Matchday 33 Brockenhurst 0 Portland United 2

31 March 2026

So before commenting on tonight, one final note on Saturday’s game.  Some of you may have seen that HamRec rather unwisely shared the video of their equaliser on social media… which showed just how far offside the scorer was.  Maybe not the best plan to provide the evidence of that, guys!  Really frustrating – the assistant on the far side was good all afternoon, but the guy on the near side had been less convincing and… OK I’m going to add, Brock had plenty of chances to score the second and put it to bed, and they should have done so.  Even so, it’s very disappointing.

Right.  Penultimate visitors to the Meadens this season, the Blues of Portland.  Portland went on a winning spree at the start of the year, eight in a row, which put them firmly in the playoff places and with some breathing space; but they came into this having only won one of their last five, and while they still seem pretty certain to make it, perhaps they weren’t in the best form.  So, was that an opportunity for Brock?  The Badgers haven’t been in their pre-Christmas form either, so not the easiest game to predict.  But 5^th v 3^rd sounds like a decent match-up…

And a decent match-up it was, not a bad game at all.  But in the end, there was a gap between the teams.  Not a gulf, but a gap, especially in the first half.  Portland were that bit smarter, that bit more experienced, and it showed in the important moments.  Fast start from the Badgers, forcing Stainer-Reid to fumble and then grab a header from McCarthy-Gardiner within 4 minutes; but four minutes later the visitors were ahead.  One long ball forward which bounced awkwardly but there was no immediate danger when Remus Nixon squared up to the bouncing ball near the corner of the box – bang, worldie into the top corner, no keeper with a chance of saving that.  After that, the Blues looked the stronger side: excellent off the ball, winning every defensive header, holding Brock at arm’s length.  One magic moment of Freddie Beale doing Freddie Beale things near the corner flag, pulled back to Toms near the edge of the box but his shot curled high.  But Brock were playing a bit too safe – and when they weren’t, they weren’t accurate enough.  19 minutes, a long throw from Portland, a collision in the box – referee saw nothing untoward, it looked like a foul to me from the stands.  23 minutes, Archie Woolford with a powerful shot, pushed away by Valero and Borthwick could only find the side-netting with the rebound.  Both Drake and Torniainen were called on to make excellent interceptions… finally, 26 minutes, some Brock pressure resulting in pinball in the box, but no clear strike at goal… a break from Portland, Woolford down the left with a superb cross, Brock looked favourites to clear the ball but Nixon stole in to head home his second.  The visitors should have been out of sight by half-time: Bailey lost the ball in his own half, giving Jenkins a clear run on goal, but he somehow rolled his shot wide; then Nixon set up Camp 14 yards out who cleared the bar; and Jenkins again, in overtime, completely missed his kick on the edge of the box.  HT 0-2

The Badgers did improve in the second half – a little less safe, a little more progressive – but Portland were largely comfortable, continuing to look a very solid defensive unit.  First-half sub Will Giles was lively down the right, but was generally well marshalled (Woolford did a very good job here) – the one occasion Giles truly lost his marker was on 58 minutes, arriving in the box to head a Walker cross over the bar.  It was probably the best chance Brock created all evening and maybe that could have changed the momentum.  In the last 20, the Badgers didn’t exactly lay siege to the Portland goal, but they did at least ask some questions and force the visitors to show their defensive qualities… The Blues were mostly playing on the break but they continued to look very dangerous, Wellman and in particular MacFarlane needed to be alert… MacFarlane then seemingly got tired of what he saw going on in front of him and took matters into his own hands with a great run into the opposition half, 1-2 with Giles, a shot just over the bar!  But in the closing stages the visitors looked the more likely – Nixon was played through down the left but took the ball too wide and his shot was eventually blocked before Woolford hit the rebound into the trees; and then Nixon again, two minutes from time, left alone 15 yards out but dragged his shot wide.  FT 0-2

Not to be, then.  An evening of effort but no reward; and the result was probably about right.  If Portland had really brought their shooting boots, the scoreline could have been much heavier… on the other hand, if Brock had brought theirs, who knows!  Toby was everywhere, demanding the ball and trying to make things happen; Liam had a very solid game at the back; nobody had a stinker, but overall the visitors were just the better team.  A gap.  Not a gulf, but more than a cigarette paper; the table doesn’t lie.  So, on to three successive away games, starting with New Milton at the weekend…