United continued their impressive start to their 2018 campaign with a hard-fought 5-3 victory over local rivals Port Saints on Saturday.

It was a match that had it all – eight goals, controversial penalties awarded and not awarded and two red cards.

In the end last year’s runners-up continued their undefeated start to the season.

Forward Harry Gordon scored a brace to continue his run of good form, while Matt Bale, Jarrad Kohler and Andy Collins also found the back of the net.

United coach Nathan Wade was especially impressed with the performance of Gordon up front.

“I think besides the opening round, Harry has scored in every game now, so he’s in good form,” he said.

After conceding three goals, Wade conceded his side needed to be better when not in possession.

“That’s something we’ll have to work on – not giving away easy goals,” he said.

“If you’re under a lot of pressure and the other side is constantly attacking you fair enough, but we were controlling the game.

“We have a couple of moments in games where we just go to sleep and once Saints scored their second they got their tails up.”

The United coach admitted they may have received the rub of the green when they were awarded a second-half penalty.

“It could have went either way and then they had one that probably looked like handball but the ref missed,” he said.

Saints coach Rubens Camejo was disappointed his side were on the receiving end of what he believed were two incorrect penalty decisions.

“I’m unhappy with both decisions because you’re meant to protect yourself as you do when you set up a wall,” he said.

“The referee and linesman said he didn’t see it, so the referee can’t give what he can’t see, but why he didn’t see it is beyond me.

“A couple of questionable decisions probably cost us.”

In the end, Saints finished the match with nine players after Michael Bishop and Oliver King were given their marching orders.

“A couple of my boys did say a few disrespectful things and got sent off for it,” Camejo said.

The Saints coach was impressed with his sides ability to fight back into the contest to level at 3-all after they trailed 3-1 at the break.

“But you’ve got to give credit to Port United,” he said.

“They played a first half where they went through us like a hot knife through butter and were just at the top of their game.

“We were 3-1 down in the first half; in the second half we came back to 3-3.”

United could go to the top of the ladder with a victory in Tuesday night’s catch-up match against Camden Haven.