AFC Portchester bowed out of the Hampshire Senior Cup at the Second Round stage after losing on penalties to Baffins Milton Rovers.
There will be no repeat of the long runs enjoyed in the competition over the last two seasons where the Royals reached the final two years running – winning in 2024 and being runners-up earlier this year.
Portchester created plenty of chances but they paid the price for not taking any of them. With the game goalless after 90 minutes the visitors had to rely on the lottery of being succesful in the penalty shoot-out and this time unfortunately they did not have that winning ticket.
There were no goals in the 90 minutes but both sides must have wondered afterwards just how they didn’t put the ball in the back of the net – particularly Portchester who went close to scoring on many occasions.
On four minutes Portchester had their first chance of the game when a cross from the right picked out Alfie Stanley (pictured above) at the far post but he guided his downward header wide of the target.
Three minutes later the Royals won posession back in midfield and Max Smith slipped the ball through to Lee Wort, who tried to curl his shot past Dylan Kramer but the keeper dived to his left to push the ball away from goal.
A good passing move through midfield saw the ball whipped in towards the six yard box and Wort was inches away from applying the finishing touch from close range and Cade Dyer then got clear down the left before slipping the ball inside to Ryan Wilkins, who saw his shot from around eight yards out blocked by the keeper’s legs.
On 20 minutes a ball from the left wing was played inside to Smith and he tried to curl his shot from the edge of the box into the far corner of the net but Kramer anticipated it well and got down to his left to make an easy save.
Four minutes later Wort laid the ball off to Stanley on the edge of the penalty area before he turned two defenders, burst clear into the box and put his shot narrowly over the bar.
On 32 minutes Dyer looked to finish off a good move down the middle of the pitch when he took the ball into the box but he put his shot just over the target and five minutes later Wort was allowed to get clear of the home defence after strong Portchester pressure in midfield won the ball back. Wort tried to steer his shot down the keeper’s near side but Kramer’s outstretched leg deflected the shot wide.
The Royals closed the half with a chance for Ash Howes to let fly with a shot from 25 yards out but it went just over the crossbar.
Baffins Milton Rovers came closest to breaking the deadlock with their first real chance of the game on 47 minutes. Lewis Beale won possession in midfield and drove forwards with the ball towards the penalty area before laying it off to Jamie Truckle. He slipped his shot past keeper Cameron Scott but it ran narrowly past the post.
On 52 minutes the Royals swept forward down the left and Wort played the ball inside the box to Wilkins. He smashed his shot past the keeper but it rattled the crossbar rather than finding the back of the net.
A minute later a long ball forwards dropped in the box to Howes, who worked the ball back to Wort but he put his shot straight at the keeper.
The home side were starting to come more into the game as it entered the final quarter and on 73 minutes a cross from the left found Danny Burrows in front of goal but he put his header straight at Scott.
Two minutes later Rob Taw’s cross-field pass went to Stanley, who cut inside but his shot lacked power and it ran straight through to Kramer. The home side then had two attempted shots blocked by defenders when a free kick from the left edge of the box played into the near post caused the visitors plenty of problems.
Burrows had another good chance to score with eight minutes remaining after he was put clear down the left. He cut inside and hit a shot across Scott, who had to claw the ball away from the target for a corner.
It was all Baffins in the final five minutes and they had a load of good chances to snatch the win in normal time. Substitute Jason Parish hit his shot straight at Scott and in the next attack Beale did beat the visiting keeper with his effort but the ball ran wide of the far post.
In added on time a ball in from the right picked out Parish’s run into the box but he put his shot just over the top and he really should have finished the tie when he met a cross from the right in front of goal but he put his header over from five yards out.
In the penalty shoot-out, Baffins scored all four of their spot kicks. For Portchester, Conor Bailey missed the first penalty before James Cowan and Rob Taw put away their spot kicks.
Wort had to score the fourth penalty to keep Portchester alive but Kramer managed to push his shot over the bar and the Wessex League side went through to the next round, winning the penalty shoot-out 4-2.
