AFC Portchester breezed their way through to the next round of the Isuzu FA Trophy during what became an increasingly breezy afternoon at The OnSite Group Stadium.
The Royals stormed to a 2-0 lead inside the opening ten minutes as they blew away visitors Tavistock with their fast start to the game.
The visitors managed to weather that early storm as the home side threatened to open up an even bigger lead and although they caused Portchester more problems during the second half – with a little help from the blustery conditions – the returning Brett Pitman came off the bench to score a late third goal and secure his side’s place in the Third Qualifying Round.
Portchester almost took the lead on three minutes when Lee Wort was sent racing clear, he cut inside a defender and hit a shot which keeper Dan Holman managed to block. He then had another chance to score when the home side won back possession and worked the ball back into the penalty area but his shot lacked the power to trouble Holman.
The Royals were in front two minutes later when Zack Willett received the ball wide on the right and he took advantage of the acres of space he was allowed to exploit, took the ball into the box and then guided his shot past Holman and into the far corner of the net.
Tavistock had their first chance of the game on eight minutes when a free kick from the right picked out Charlie Madden and his header from ten yards out was grabbed by keeper Steven Mowthorpe underneath his own crossbar.
Portchester then doubled their lead a minute later when more quick passing through midfield saw the ball eventually get to Tommy Scutt, who rolled the perfect pass in behind the defence for Wort to latch on to and after taking it inside the penalty area he guided a low shot past Holman and into the net.
The Royals then continued their relentless push towards the Tavistock goal. On 18 minutes Alfie Stanley crossed the ball towards the far post and Wort ran in on it and smashed his shot towards goal from only a few yards out but somehow from point blank range Holman threw his hands up towards the ball and managed to divert it up and over the crossbar.
From the corner the ball found Wort again and his powerful shot through a crowd of players looked to be heading in until a defender managed to kick it away off the line.
When they did manage to get forward Tavistock still posed a threat and on 36 minutes Jacon Bowker picked up the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area and his shot had to be pushed behind for a corner by Mowthorpe.
On 39 minutes Alfie Stanley had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside and on the stroke of half time Willett received the ball on the edge of the box and slipped a pass through towards Wort but it just ran away from him before he could get a shot off on goal.
Tavistock enjoyed more of the possession in the second half and the swirling wind which was increasing in strength caused the home defence some issues when it caught any balls played up towards the penalty area.
On 56 minutes the Royals struggled to clear their lines and an attempted clearance that went backwards thanks to the wind eventually found Jack Crago, whose shot on goal was partially blocked by a defender and that was enough to take the ball over the crossbar.
The closest the visitors came to scoring was on 77 minutes when a corner from the right saw Madden outjump everyone at the far post and his header hit the top of the crossbar.
Portchester closed the game out with four minutes remaining thanks to the work of two substitutes. Pitman knocked on a long ball forward from Mowthorpe, which sent Connor Duffin scampering away to win possession and then take play up into the penalty area.
Pitman kept pace with his strike partner’s move forwards and when Duffin squared the ball across goal the striker was able to slide it home from eight yards out to net his 57th goal for the club.
Scutt went close to adding a fourth goal in stoppage time when the ball was played into him from the left but Holman was able to push his effort away from goal.
