MARSHSIDE HESKETH 3 PORTLAND 1

The curtain came down on Portland F.C's 2007/08 season on Thursday evening with a 3-1 Charity Cup Semi-Final defeat at Rufford Road, and ends a season that has had its ups and downs
with suspensions and injuries taking their toll...

Portland came into the game on the back of a dreadful run that has seen them win only one out of the last ten league and cup games....

They could not have wished for a better start when after only ten minutes PAUL RIMMER scored with a close range header from a pin point cross from AARON TAYLOR.....

The visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck and for 35 mins were well worth their goal advantage,but a crazy 10 mins gave way to 3 conceded goals and a half time scoreline that flattered the home side....

At 1-3 down Portland needed an early second half goal,but although they gave it their best shot it wasn't to be,and in all fairness they had keeper BEN LEAN to thank for keeping them in the game with some breathtaking saves that produced a man of the match award from his team mates...

PAUL IDDONS side now meet ALAN McKENZIES Dell Rangers in the Final after they secured their place with a 2-0 win over Strand Tavern in the other Semi-Final...

Portland can look back on their first season in the Sunday Premiership with heads held high after gaining a respectable 5th place finish,and with the newly formed Reserves gaining promotion from the third division at the first atempt,then the future looks bright for the Birkdale based club...

A reminder that the clubs AWARDS PRESENTATION EVENING will this year combine with a fund raising RACE NIGHT on FRIDAY 2ND MAY at the Portland pub on Kew Road starting at 7.30PM..

Thursdays Charity cup team........

LEAN,GREGSON,YEWDALL,GREEN,SIMMS.
JONES,R.TAYLOR,P.RIMMER,C.TAYLOR.
FINNEY,A.TAYLOR.
Subs McDOUGALL(R.TAYLOR)MOONAN(Finney)
DEMPSEY(Simms) WRIGHT.

Dell boy,scores from 2 yards out in a freindly 6 a-side with his Van Pursie shirt on and suddenly the "average" left back wants to play up front next season........



Soccer skills from the 58 year old DAVE INSTONE...

Portland first team finished in a respectable 5th position in their first season in the Sun Premiership,but in a season of highs and lows it could well have been a different story..........

AUGUST...

An opening game to the season in the Charity Cup and a good 4-1 away victory over Scarisbrick Hotel,goals from Lennie,Parry,Paul Rimmer,and Middleton set up a second round game against Pinewoods.

SEPTEMBER....

Started with an eye opening league baptism,two defeats to Pinewoods
and Dell Rangers in the opening games before victory over Pinewoods in the second round of the Charity Cup got them back on track...
This followed with a great 7-1 victory over Scarisbrick Hotel with 17 year old Joe Middleton helping himself to a four of the goals...
A supurb 5-4 victory away to Woodwards gave them three wins on the bounce before being brought back down to earth with their heaviest defeat of the season,6-0 at home to Marshside Hesketh..

OCTOBER...

A Neil Wright goal gave them a 1-0 win over Formby Dons,veteran striker Howey Finney made his debut in the 2-2 draw with Inter Global and Lee Jones came of the bench against
Freshfield to net his first of the season in a 4-1 home victory...
A Hat -Trick from Joe Middleton against Premier Electric gave Portland a first round victory in the Liverpool Cup...

NOVEMBER

Portland lost keeper Alex Harrison for the season after the class
stopper was injured in the Southport&District rep game in Liverpool..
The weather took its toll in November with only two games played but with a 3-3 draw against Strand Tavern and a 4-0 victory over Stirling Athletic Portland kept up their great start to the season...

DECEMBER...

Although Portland had put together a good squad at the start of the season it was proving difficult to assemble their strongest eleven due to work commitments and injuries,but the home game against Stirling Athletic gave manager Dave Middleton the chance to field a strong attacking line up with Crossey,Burns,Jones,Craig Taylor,Middleton,and Parry all part of
a starting line up that produced Portlands best game so far that ended in a comfortable 4-1 victory...
A 3-1 away defeat against Pinewoods and a 2-2 draw against
Marshside Hesketh ended the year with Portland in 4th position,
but the last game of 2007 proved the turning point in their season at Marshside when youngster Joe Middleton's season was brought to an end with the news that he would be suspended for the season after ugly scenes at the the end of the game saw him red carded by referee Colin Rimmer...
Joe had scored 16 league goals in a whirlwind season,but his suspension along with the long term injury to keeper Harrison was to be Portlands downfall for the rest of the campaign..

JANUARY 08...

The New Year got off to a bad start with a heavy 6-1 defeat at the hands of Woodwards,Aaron Taylor,Alex Lennie,and Mike Langford all stood in for the injured Alex Harrison,but the absence of a recognized goal-keeper put pressure on the team for the remainder of the season...

A 3-3 draw with Strand Tavern and a good 1-0 victory over Ship gave the lads some comfidence as the team headed into
February...

FEBRUARY...

Feb turned out to be a miserable month,played 4,lost 4
scored 6,agaist 17, and out of the Infirmary Cup with a woeful performance away at Stirling Athletic...

MARCH....

A 4-0 defeat away to Inter Global in the Dennis Moorecroft Cup
and a 2-2 draw with Scarisbrick Hotel brought the curtain down on a season that had started so well but fizzled out dramatically
after Christmas...
Portlands last game of the season at home to Dell Rangers had to be called off at the last minute when several players failed to show,the game was awarded to the relegated side with Portland failing to turn out a team...........something that has never happened before,and certainly wont happen in the future..

Final League Position......

P W D L F A GD PTS
5TH PORTLAND 22 8 5 9 50 55 -5 29


PORTLAND RESERVES SEASON 2007/08.....

Congratulations to DAZ TAYLORS reserve side who in their first season gained promotion from the third division finishing as runners-up to Champions BROWN TURNER F.C..

With the first team gaining promotion last year to the Premiership a reserve side was formed and whilst the priority of
the club will always be to give the first team preference regarding players selection, a decision was taken to allow some players to continue with their football in the title chasing Reserve side....
The decision has paid dividends with DAZ TAYLORS side promoted to the second division and with it several players gaining valuable experience that will stand them in good stead for that step up to the first team...
Rookie ROSS MOONAN enjoyed a good season with a 20 odd goal return,and the likes of ROBBIE TAYLOR,TONY GREGSON,LIAM SELLS,and JOSH TAYLOR have worked hard this season...

Centre-Half ADAM DEMPSEY will only get better,and full-back MARTIN MORAN has had a steady season..

Goalkeeper ANTHONY DODD performed well before a serious shoulder injury finished his season...

STEVIE COOPER was unlucky to miss most of the season with injury after a bright early season start, youngster DANNY RIMMER has come up with some important goals this season and veteran management duo WHITEHEAD and TAYLOR have also had a run out when called upon


PORTLAND RESERVES FINAL LEAGUE POSITION.......

P W D L F A GD PTS
2nd PORTAND RES 24 17 4 3 80 40 +40 55

FIRST TEAM MANAGERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR.........

Paul Rimmer


FIRST TEAM PLAYERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR............

Joe Middleton


FIRST TEAM TOP GOALSCORER............

Joe Middleton


RESERVE TEAM MANAGERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR.........

Tony Gregson

RESERVE TEAM PLAYERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR..........

Robbie Taylor


RESERVE TEAM TOP GOALSCORER.......

Ross Moonan


PORTLAND CLUBMAN OF THE YEAR........

Mike Langford



Thanks and appreciation to........

TERRY SWIFT(Secretary)
NINA FORSHAW(Treasurer)
SUE and STEVE(Portland pub)
LINDA(Kit wash)
PIER STEEL FABRICATIONS of Wigan (Sponsors)
ANDY RIMMER (Sponsor)

Oh what a season, a great mix of youth and bull ****. The young boys did the team proud, an us ol boys did ok too. We should of could of done better, if we had a team every week, but i guess every sunday team has the same mider, except pinewoods & woodwards. Our team will be up there next season and we will be lifting silverware of some description, even if we are cleaning Lord Heskeths collection. Come on you blues. 08/09

Notice To All Players 30th June 08..........


Due To Bedford Park Being Unavailable,all Training Sessions Untill Further Notice Will Take Place At Meols
Park...

Players Meet At The Richmond Pub Entrance At 11.00am Sunday
morning..

Originally Posted by All Rounder

Who are they and is suzi quatro still playing??????
I posted this earlier on wrong thread its on southport and birkdale cricket, my first posting sorry.

Originally Posted by rufford rascal

Who are they and is suzi quatro still playing??????
I posted this earlier on wrong thread its on southport and birkdale cricket, my first posting sorry.

Hey, i had lovely flowing locks in those days

Where did you drag that photo from?

If i remember it was a five a side competition held at the YMCA
and we won it with a team from the Everton Club in Duke Street

In the picture..Yours truely at the back left,with Alan Larkin,Sean McNamara,Paul Southwood and Captain "KIng Kenny"
Atkins with the trophy,i think it was around 1976