AFC Portchester booked their place in the next round of the League Cup on a night of positives for the Royals.
They recorded a 2-1 win over local rivals Fareham Town, Harrison Brook started his first game of the season, and Josh Clack made his first appearance of the 2025-26 campaign as a second half substitute.
There is further good news from the treatment room with defender Kane O’Keefe and striker Ryan Pennery both making further progress on their returns to full fitness too.
Portchester made a very positive start to this game at Cams Alders by taking the lead on seven minutes.
The ball was put across the penalty area from the left and it found its way to Charlie Williamson on the right side of the box. He went past a defender before driving the ball low across goal and although keeper Declan McCarthy got a hand to it, the shot ran on into the net.
Five minutes later a corner from the right was headed down into the six yard box from the far post but none of the Royals nearby could react quickly enough and McCarthy gathered up the ball.
The visitors doubled their lead on 21 minutes. A long ball forwards picked out Connor Duffin and he used his first touch to play the ball on for Brett Pitman to run on to and he stooped to head the ball into the net.
It was almost 3-0 on 23 minutes when a cross into the box found Duffin and his header hit the outside of the post.
However, Fareham got on the scoresheet a minute later when they got forward down the right and a ball played inside saw Ethan Quinlan shoot from 25 yards out and his low shot flew past keeper Cameron Scott and into the net.
The visitors kept creating chances after that setback though. Tommy Scutt’s shot was deflected wide and a pass inside from the left found Duffin but he put his shot straight at McCarthy.
Before half time Fareham created another opening with a quick break down the right and the ball played inside found Charlie Cooper but his shot from just inside the box was charged down.
At the other end Williamson’s cross from the right was cleared by the home defence only as far as Duffin on the edge of the box but he blasted his shot over.
Portchester created a couple of decent half chances during the opening exchanges of the second half.
On 51 minutes the ball was worked forward to Alfie Stanley and although his cross was cleared the ball fell to Scutt and his low shot went just wide of the post.
Three minutes later another forward ball found Scutt, this time on the left. He cut inside into the penalty area but put his low shot straight at McCarthy.
The home side managed to put more pressure on the visiting defence and created some chances of their own in the final third period of the match.
On 66 minutes Fareham won possession of the ball on the right and a low cross into the box allowed them to shoot from eight yards out but the effort was deflected wide.
With 90 minutes up and the game about to enter stoppage time, Fareham broke down the right and the ball was played to Matty Pates. He fired his shot towards goal but a defender managed to block his effort at point blank range.
The visitors safely saw out the injury time and the Royals will now face Egham Town at home in the next round.
