AFC Portchester head to West Sussex at the end of what has been a punishing introduction to Step 4 football.

The Royals have had eight weeks in a row of Saturday and Tuesday fixtures and they have had only three midweeks off since the start of the season on August 2.

The game against Bognor Regis Town will be Portchester’s 32nd game of the season so far before they finally get to enjoy a midweek with no game next week.

The fixture pile-up has been caused by the Royals’ lengthy involvements in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, with two of the rounds they played in the FA Cup going to replays.

The rest of the season’s fixture list couldn’t be any further removed from the pattern of games Gav Spurway’s side have faced to date.

As it currently stands, the only midweek fixtures remaining are a Portsmouth Senior Cup tie at home to Hayling United on December 9 and a Easter Monday trip to Horndean. Other than those two games all fixtures are now on Saturdays for the Royals.

The change in pace to the fixture list will allow more rest and recovery time between matches going forward – something the Portchester squad has been largely denied over the last four months.

A win for the Royals against Bognor could take them up into the top six in the South Central Division depending on results elsewhere.

Like Portchester, Bognor have also been steadily climbing their way up the table of late and sit one point back from the Royals in 11th place.

Neutrals attending Saturday’s game would no doubt love a repeat of the match played out between the two sides back in August which turned into a nine-goal thriller, with the Rocks scoring a late goal to win 5-4.

Their thrilling fightback came after Portchester surged into a 4-1 lead before the hour mark at The OnSite Group Stadium.

Supporters travelling to the game are reminded that it is being played at Oaklands Park in Chichester. Installation works are continuing at Bognor’s Nyewood Lane home for a new 3G pitch.