AFC Portchester recorded a 2-0 victory at Fleetlands in their opening friendly of pre-season.

This match came only 46 days after the Royals ended their quadruple-winning 2024-25 campaign with victory over Moneyfields in the Portsmouth Senior Cup final.

For the players it was a chance to take to the pitch at the end of what was their first week of pre-season training. The squad got back to work with three sessions in the searing heat of the recent heatwave ahead of this match, which was played in autumnal conditions in comparison.

Alfie Stanley opened his goal account for Portchester with a finish off the underside of the crossbar five minutes before half time. Archie Willcox got the second when he headed home a corner ten minutes into the second half.

A huge following of the Royals army was in attendance at Powder Monkey Park in a crowd of over 300 spectators.

The Royals’ next pre-season friendly is at Sholing on Saturday, July 12 – kick off 3pm.