AFC Portchester produced a superb battling performance to come from behind to beat Metropolitan Police 2-1.
Momentum in football matches can change in a matter of minutes and the outcome of this league encounter centred on two three minute spells – the one in the first half seeing the Royals reduced to ten men and go behind, and the one at the start of the second half bringing their equaliser and what proved to be the winning goal.
The start of this game followed what seems to be a regular pattern of late for Portchester – a bright start with some good chances before the opposition suddenly take control midway through the first half.
The home side had their first chance on three minutes when a ball lofted forward into the right hand side of the penalty area dropped in behind the defence and Zack Willett tried to flick the ball past keeper Liam Beach but he pushed the shot away.
Four minutes later Charlie Williamson’s cross from the right ran through to Alfie Stanley at the far post but he put his shot straight at Beach.
On 19 minutes the Royals tried to get past the visiting defence inside the box a couple of times before a clearance fell to Tommy Scutt 25 yards out but he put his shot well over the target.
Five minutes later James Cowan had the chance to shoot from a free kick on the left hand edge of the box but his effort curled on to the roof of the net.
The game suddenly turned in the visitors’ favour on 29 minutes. Erick Kenko Djoudie went down under Jack Lee’s challenge some 40 yards from goal but despite the distance and other Portchester players in close vicinity of the ball, the referee somewhat harshly deemed this to be a straight red card offence.
Matters went from bad to worse for the home side when they went behind two minutes later. The visitors found space down the right and the ball was fired in low across the six yard box by Frankie Morton, missed by a number of home defenders and keeper Steven Mowthorpe and Ekow Owusu-Boakye bundled the ball over the line from close range at the far post.
The Royals tried to hit back quickly and on 33 minutes a long ball down the middle of the pitch found its way to Lee Wort and his shot from the edge of the box had to be beaten away by Beach.
Portchester needed to make a fast, strong start to the second half and they did this by creating a number of half chances. In the opening minute of the half Willett fired off a shot from just inside the penalty area and Beach had to beat it away from his goal.
The home side were inches away from equalising on 50 minutes when a free kick from the right was fired towards Wort at the far post. He headed it back across goal but despite two Royals players stealing in at the far post to try and knock the ball into the net neither was able to apply the finishing touch from close range.
A minute later Portchester had another good chance when a ball into the penalty area was picked up by Stanley and his low shot had to be blocked by Beach’s legs.
The Royals eventually got their equaliser on 53 minutes. Willett was brought down as he made his way into the left hand side of the box and Stanley drilled his spot kick low past Beach’s dive and into the net.
Portchester’s fast start to the second period culminated in them taking the lead on 55 minutes. A free kick from the right was initially cleared by the visitors but after being worked back out to the right hand side the ball was crossed back into the box by Willett and Scutt directed his glancing header towards goal and it beat Beach on its way into the far corner of the net.
The home side almost snatched a third goal just after the hour mark when a cross from the right picked out Archie Willcox around ten yards out but he wasn’t quite able to direct his header towards goal.
The final third of the game passed without any real goalmouth incidents to speak of. Portchester were happy to soak up any attempts by the visitors to try and get back on level terms.
Met Police had plenty of possession in front of the home defence but they were unable to work themselves any openings against resolute defending from the whole of the Portchester team.
