A LATE double from Bournemouth Poppies secured a 2-1 opening day win away at Portland United on Tuesday evening.

Captain Tyrone Carkeet converted a penalty to restore parity 11 minutes from time, before Conor Jevon pounced on a rebound to snatch all three points three minutes later.

Phill Brown's side had fallen behind early on when Josh Williams opened scores just nine minutes in to the first action of the season.

Whilst the hosts controlled possession in the first half, Poppies were effective on the counter, almost equalising when Sami Garcia had a shot well saved by Mike Edgar in the Portland goal.

Unable to break Portland's resolve in the opening 45 minutes, Poppies were still kept at bay in the second period.

In the end it was substitute Joe Smith who earned a contentious penalty, with the match official seeing enough contact from Sam Poole's outstretched leg to point to the spot.

Carkeet stepped up to convert, setting up a grandstand finish for the away side.

It was another set-piece that decided the game, with Joe Freak coming off the bench to earn a free-kick just outside the box.

Marcus Cullen saw his effort bounce off the crossbar, only for striker Jevon to be on hand to stab home and effectively win the game for the away side.

  • Elsewhere Fawzi Saadi got off to a winning start at Christchurch manager, with an Eder Batista hat-trick more than enough for Priory to end up victorious away at Brockenhurst.

Batista popped up after 20 minutes to grab his first, before adding a second on the 32nd minute mark.

Former Eastleigh man Ollie Dennett halved the deficit before the break, but Batista was on hand again to restore the two goal margin five minutes from time.

His late free-kick saw the former Weymouth and Dorchester man complete an opening-day hat-trick, helping his side to a 3-1 win.

  • Blackfield & Langley's season got off to a miserable start as they were thumped 7-1 by newly promoted Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

The Watersiders took an early lead when Clayd Roach converted a 14th minute penalty, but the goals quickly started flowing for the away side.

Greg Peel started Bemmy's scoring from the spot, before adding a second just before the break.

Reece Rusher and Nathan Connolly made it four prior to the hour mark, whilst Peel converted another penalty to claim a hat-trick of his own.

Layton Tulk bagged a brace in the closing stages to add gloss to the scoreline, leaving Blackfield bottom of the league at the end of the first round of fixtures.