‘One of those days’ – Moneyfields slump to shock Wessex League loss to Portland at Westleigh Park

The Dorset club arrived having only picked up three points from their previous 10 Premier fixtures, and without a win since October 11.

But a 69th minute winner from George Stuttle ended that dismal run on a day when Moneys welcomed back club record goalscorer Steve Hutchings.

Hutchings, who came on as a second half sub, had missed 13 league and cup games since last appearing at Alresford in October.

It was only Portland’s fourth Wessex win in 20 matches - and half of them have now come against Moneys.

‘It was one of those days in football, you get one or two of them every season,’ Turnbull told The News.

‘We had about 10 chances and didn’t convert any, they had one - a worldie - and scored it.

‘You can over analyse it but if you don’t take your chances and the other team do, you’ll lose - simple as that.’

Ryan Pennery went close in the first half, with the Portland keeper producing an instinctive close range save.

And Hutchings hit the bar and saw a header well saved after coming on around the hour mark.

‘My dad said if you take 10 per cent of your chances, you’ll win most games and I’d agree,’ Turnbull continued.

‘You could say it was because we haven’t worked on finishing in training, but that’s not necessarily the case. You’ve got two proven Southern League strikers (Pennery and Hutchings) … as I said, it was one of those days.

‘You see it in the Premier League, teams don’t score all the chances they make.’

Football at any level is a game of ifs, buts and maybes. Down in the ninth tier, it is no different.

‘If you want to over analyse it that’s six points we’ve dropped to Portland this season. And the two games against Christchurch (two stoppage time levellers from Priory) and that’s 10 points dropped in four games.

‘If we’d got those 10 points the situation would look completely different (Moneys would be third instead of fifth), but it is what it is.

‘I wouldn’t be so lairy to say we would expect to win at Portland.’

Moneys are due at Hamble Club on Tuesday before rock bottom Alresford - having lost 16 successive league games - rack up at Westleigh Park next Friday.

Midfielder Charlie Bell is available again for the trip to sixth-placed Hamble- just two points behind Moneys with three games in hand - after serving a one-game ban against Portland.

That was his punishment for a red card against Christchurch, a game where Moneys players were shown 10 yellow cards in all.

Moneys have subsequently been fined £165 - ‘a not insignificant amount’ - for picking up so many cautions in that game.

Full-back Jack Chandler, who hasn’t played since a red card against Horndean on December 16, is also in contention to face Hamble.