AFC Portchester return to The OnSite Group Stadium this afternoon looking to bounce back from their narrow midweek defeat against Westfield, as they welcome Ascot United in the Pitching In Isthmian League South Central Division.

The Royals were edged out 3-2 on Tuesday night, a result which leaves them with three wins and six defeats from their opening nine league fixtures. 

Gav Spurway’s side now sit among the chasing pack but will take encouragement from their attacking output. Portchester have already scored 20 goals this season, placing them inside the division’s top five for goals scored.

Striker Lee Wort reached a personal milestone in midweek, netting his 90th goal for the club to become only the second Portchester player to hit that landmark. 

He is now just seven behind all-time top scorer Simon Woods and will be aiming to close that gap further in front of the home supporters today.

Visitors Ascot United make the trip south having won five and lost five of their opening ten fixtures, with no draws – a record shared by Portchester, who are also yet to split the points this season. 

Remarkably, only one other side in the division has also avoided a draw, underlining how fine the margins are in the early weeks of the campaign.

With both teams among the most unpredictable in the league and neither having settled for a draw so far, supporters can expect another open contest. 

Ascot arrive looking to climb into the upper reaches of the table, while the Royals will be determined to make home advantage count and re-capture the spark that produced a 5-0 win against Hartley Wintney earlier this month.

For Portchester, rediscovering that sharpness in attack combined with Wort’s milestone form could provide the perfect platform to respond from midweek disappointment. 

Could another high-scoring encounter be on the cards?

PREVIEW WRITTEN BY DECLAN MURPHY