TADLEY Calleva boss Danny Dolan felt the better side won as Tadley Calleva made their FA Vase exit beaten by top Wessex Premier Division side AFC Porchester.

Dolan said: "I could not fault my players, but they were the better team on the day. If we show the same commitment on Saturday against Verwood I can't see why we cannot pick up three points."

Striker George Hallahan is still injured so misses the visit of Verwood on Saturday as fourth placed Tadley look to close in the leading three who have all played two more games than Dolan's team.

Tadley travelled to AFC Portchester looking to make it three wins on the bounce, but their Premier League opposition showed dominance as they walked away with a deserved 3-0 win over the Tadley.

The Royals could have been in front as early as the third minute when Dale Mason’s driving shot from the left forced Kieran Greene in the Tadley goal into an early save.

This was a sign of things to come for the opening 20 minutes with the visitors unable to get out of their own half and Mason causing havoc down the left flank.

Portchester’s dominance finally paid after 28 minutes, when Rob Evans floated the ball in toward Bobby Scott, who was left completely free to tap the ball past Greene on the half volley.

Minutes later Scott thought he had double the hosts lead when his looping header went over Greene and looked like it had crossed the line only for captain Shaun Dallimore to head off the line.

With 10 minutes of the half remaining Alex Baldacchino went on a weaving solo run past three Tadley defenders to coolly slide the ball into the net.

In the second-half Tadley looked a completely different side with the introduction of Brett Denham and Conner Thorne. And it was the latter who nearly found a way back into the game for the visitors.

Denham whipped a good ball into the box on 58 minutes, but Thorne’s effort lacked any power to really trouble Lewis Noice in the Royals goal.

Tadley’s best chance game on 88 minutes when Daniel Vickers fed the advancing Denham, but Noice was out quick to block the shot.

But with the last kick of the game the Royals extended their lead, Evans again working well down the right who found Scott on the edge of the area to rifle in his second and Portchester’s third.

Tadley return to league action on Saturday, when lowly Verwood are the visitors.