13/09/2026
𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝘃 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻,
𝗙𝗔 𝗩𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴
𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟮𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝘆 Matt Gillett
Some turnaround by Portishead Town. Trailing to Malmesbury Victoria at the break, they stormed back to win 5-1. A quality of this team is their ability to stay the course if it’s not clicking and then find the kind of dominant second-half display that they produced here.
Posset started Aron Robbins in central defence, Jamie Adams at right-back bringing Josh Jenkins and Dan Dodimead into the line-up. Malmesbury glanced a header over from a 4th minute corner. Robbins and Ollie Woodhouse asserted themselves at the back when needed, in the main though Malmesbury sat off and looked for the counter.
For Portishead, Ethan Feltham’s 8th minute acrobatic effort went over and Mitch Osmond’s 15th minute header, from Harvey Tierney’s centre, drifted wide. At the other end Adams great covering interception, coming across from right-back, snuffed out a neat Malmesbury attack.
The home side went ahead on 24 minutes. Malmesbury broke from a Posset corner, the referee ruled that the lively LJ Bexon-Shaw had been tripped. Bexon-Shaw converted the spot-kick. Two minutes later Osmond, constantly battling for the ball, showed typical determination to retain possession out right. When the ball reached Jack Thorne, he fired over. Josh Jenkins 36th minute shot went just wide after Feltham, Adams and Tierney combined but the visitors trailed at the break.
Rio Fitton and Owen Humphries replaced Dodimead and Jenkins for the second-half, Adams moved into midfield and Kyle Egan was freed to a more advanced position. What an impact: a quick 47th minute Humphries throw allowed Egan to cross and Feltham scored at the far-post. Two minutes later Malmesbury failed to deal with Osmond’s ball into the box, Thorne touched past the keeper to put Portishead in front.
Posset keeper James Walker dealt with any balls coming his way before Malmesbury picked up a 56th minute straight red card. All Portishead now, Humphries’ first thought was to continually run at defenders. His 58th minute cross brought efforts from Egan and Thorne. A terrific 65th minute move involving Feltham, Egan and Thorne, saw Adams denied by keeper Harry Pickering. Then Humphries created room to drill just over.
Not to be denied, after 67 minutes it was 3-1. Adams found Humphries wide left, his low cross just eluded Thorne but Feltham converted. Jaden Neale, on for Feltham, brought a good save from Pickering as Portishead attacked at will. Cody Coumbe replaced Osmond after 74 minutes, five minutes later Egan’s corner was forced home by Adams and after good work by Ollie Woodhouse.
Callum Eastwood, a welcome return to action in place of Robbins, produced a good clearance. But time again Posset tore through Malmsbury’s defensive line, Thorne skipping through challenges. The scoring was deservedly rounded off by Humphries who advanced inside left for a calm finish in the final minute.
Great recovery by Portishead, especially considering their heroic efforts in last week’s energy sapping FA Cup replay.
