In a season that was meant to be about new teams and grounds following promotion to Step 4, there has been a fair bit of familiarity about the games played by AFC Portchester so far.
In their first ten matches so far this season, nearly a third played by the Royals have been against local rivals they used to regularly meet in their Wessex League days.
And if you like familiar surroundings, then the trip to Baffins Milton Rovers on Tuesday evening (September 9 – kick off 7.45pm) is going to be right up your street.
Portchester played at the PMC Stadium three times last season and they faced Baffins in four matches during the highly successful 2024-25 campaign.
However, the Royals had very mixed fortunes last season at the hands of their hosts in the Servio Men’s Senior Cup Second Round.
At the PMC Stadium last August, the Royals lost 6-2 in the FA Vase, with former striker Brett Pitman scoring twice against his old club. Marley Ridge and Ryan Wilkins scored but they couldn’t prevent Portchester from making an early exit from the national cup competition.
In their away league game at Baffins a few weeks later, the Royals had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Connor Duffin and Harrison Brook scored for the visitors but Pitman struck again to deny his old team mates the three points.
Portchester did enjoy a successful visit to the PMC Stadium with their last game of the season. The ground hosted the final of the Portsmouth Senior Cup back in May and the Royals beat Moneyfields on penalties to win the cup and complete their historic quadruple.
The two sides met twice at The OnSite Group Stadium in December and Portchester recorded a 3-0 win over Baffins in the Portsmouth Senior Cup, thanks to goals from Duffin, Ash Howes and Lee Wort.
However, Gav Spurway’s men had to settle for another 2-2 draw in their home league encounter where it took a late goal from Ryan Pennery to earn the Royals a point. Duffin was also on target that day.
AFC Portchester start this season’s Hampshire Senior Cup campaign looking to continue their fine form in the competition. They have reached the last two finals – losing to AFC Stoneham last season and beating AFC Totton in 2024 to lift the county cup for the first time. Before that they were quarter finalists in 2023 and semi finalists in 2022.
The Royals have had to beat the county’s top sides in those four seasons of senior cup success – they have claimed the notable scalps of Basingstoke, Southampton, AFC Totton, Aldershot Town and Havant and Waterlooville during that period.
Tuesday night’s trip to Baffins will be match number 11 of Portchester’s season so the short trip to the Eastern Road will take the tally of match ups against old friends to four matches – and that will soon jump to five with another trip to Fareham pending in two weeks’ time.
