AFC Portchester battled their way through horrendous conditions to get all three points at home to Kingstonian.
There was heavy rain throughout the 90 minutes and although the icy cold temperatures of earlier in the week had lifted it was still a chilly afternoon.
Huge credit must go to the players on both sides and the match officials for completing the game – as well as the 209 hardy supporters who watched the action.
Despite the boggy conditions under foot, the ball continued to travel across the surface freely throughout the game and both teams tried to keep their passing going.
The home side had to be alert in the opening minutes of the game when possession was given away by the Portchester defence and Kingstonian had a couple of attempts to try and force the ball home but it was blocked inside the six yard box.
On ten minutes Tommy Scutt had the chance to shoot from the edge of the box. His shot deflected off a defender and was heading towards the far corner before keeper Liam Allen leapt up to his left to turn the ball past the post.
The corner was then partially cleared before being crossed back into the box where Jack Lee was unmarked but he put his header wide.
On 14 minutes a pass was slipped through the visiting defence for Alfie Stanley to run on to in the left hand side of the box and although he managed to lift his shot past Allen a defender had got back to kick the ball away from the goal.
Portchester took the lead on 19 minutes from a free kick on the right. Conor Bailey swung it into the box and Lee was there to head it home from close range.
The visitors almost struck back five minutes later when they made their way into the penalty area and had the chance to shoot but just as the attacker was about to pull the trigger Kane O’Keefe got back to slide the ball away for a corner.
However, Kingstonian were level a minute after that when a ball in from the left was missed by a couple of defenders and the initial shot on goal was pushed back out by keeper Cameron Scott but Sean O’Brien knocked home the re-bound.
But ton 32 minutes the Royals were back in front again. Lee Wort’s persistence got him clear down the right and his cross found Alfie Stanley, who had his initial shot blocked.
The ball was kicked clear by the visitors but a header back over the defence was missed by the keeper and it bounced behind him for Stanley to fire home into the empty net.
Portchester were pushing for more goals in the early stages of the second half and two minutes after the re-start a free kick from the right was headed towards goal by Lee but the ball skidded straight through to the keeper.
On 57 minutes the ball was worked forwards to Wort down the left hand side of the penalty area. He cut inside before hitting a low shot which went straight at Allen.
The Royals did get their third goal on 64 minutes following some good work down the left by Josh Clack. He created the space to be able to lift his cross towards the far post and Lee was there to head the ball home.
The visitors increased the tension towards the end of this match by pulling a goal back to make it 3-2 on 83 minutes. The ball was lifted over the home defence and substitute Ollie Rawlins held off his marker before firing the ball past Scott and into the net.
Kingstonian went close to snatching an equaliser with a minute remaining when a cross from the right found substitute Tom Jackson but his header from 15 yards out went straight at Scott.
