CALNE Town manager Simon Gardner conceded that his team were more than a little fortunate to claim all three points against bottom-of-the-table Portishead Town last weekend.

The Toolstation League First Division’s basement boys travelled to Bremhill View having only racked up three league wins all season but despite going down to ten men in a flash, the Somerset visitors put Gardner’s men through the wringer.

In the end, Calne managed to claw their way to their second successive 2-1 victory, leaving manager Gardner breathing a sigh of relief.

“Good result, shocking performance – I think that’s how you’d summarise the game,” said the Calne chief.

“We were very lucky to win the game. They had a man sent off and conceded a penalty about five minutes in but we never dealt with the change.

“We were 2-0 up at half-time but in the second half, they were all over us and we were really lucky to come away with the win.

“They had a penalty of their own, which they missed. Lady luck hasn’t been with us all the time this season but it definitely was on Saturday.”

Despite Portishead manager and goalkeeper Lee Ballard hacking down Stuart Windsor just a few minutes in, the referee took the decision to award a penalty and show a straight red to defender Ollie Hayfield for an innocuous tap on Windsor’s ankle moments before Ballard’s challenge.

The Calne man dusted himself down before firing home the resultant spot-kick and he then doubled his side’s lead with a spectacular volley from 25 yards.

But after the break, the ten men pulled a goal back as James Clarke thumped home a finely-struck free-kick.

With 68 minutes on the clock, Portishead had the chance to level matters after Luis Martins shoved over an opponent in the box but the visitors fluffed their big opportunity from the penalty spot, Clarke blasting his kick high over the bar.

Neurin Jones should return from injury as Gardner’s men host free-scoring Barnstaple Town next weekend.