AFC Portchester booked their place in the First Qualifying Round stage of the FA Cup for the first time in eight years thanks to a 2-1 win over Moneyfields.
The Royals had to come from behind to record their victory – this was the fourth time in five games so far this season that they have conceded the first goal in a game.
However, another worldie wonder strike – this time a 25 yard rocket from Alfie Stanley – brought them level before Lee Wort notched his fourth FA Cup goal of the campaign with six minutes remaining to send Portchester through.
The visitors created plenty of chances during the first half but couldn’t convert any of them, which allowed the visitors to take the lead when they scored from their first real chance of the game.
Portchester’s first chance came on seven minutes when a ball in from the right found Wort on the left hand side of the penalty area but his shot lacked the power to trouble goalkeeper Callum Smart.
Charlie Williamson was a constant threat down the right hand side and two minutes later he cut inside, delivered the ball low into the six yard box and although Ryan Pennery slid in to try and turn the cross home, Smart managed to block the ball before it crossed the line.
On 20 minutes a quickly taken free kick was played to Conor Bailey and his shot from 30 yards out whistled just wide of the target. Five minutes later another cross from Williamson found Wort but the striker dragged his shot wide.
The Royals had their closest chance yet on the half hour mark when a free kick played into the far post was headed back across the box and Archie Willcox’s acrobatic effort flew just over the crossbar.
Moneyfields had their first real half chance of the game on 37 minutes when the ball was played up to James Franklyn on the right hand side of the penalty area but he put his shot straight at keeper Steven Mowthorpe.
On 39 minutes Marley Ridge flashed his header across the face of goal and narrowly wide from Williamson’s cross before the home side took the lead two minutes later.
Another ball into the right hand side of the box allowed the home side to hit a low ball across the box and Franklyn slid in to turn the cross into the net.
The home side then had a goal disallowed due to a shove on a Portchester defender and in first half injury time the combination of Smart and the woodwork denied Portchester an equaliser.
A corner from the left was kept inside the penalty area by the visitors before the ball was eventually played to Wilkins, who saw his shot tipped on to the crossbar by the keeper.
However, the Royals only had to wait seven minutes into the second half to get back on level terms – and they did so in some style.
Jack Lee took the ball up towards the edge of the box and Ridge then laid the ball back to Stanley who blasted his shot from 25 yards out past Smart and into the net.
Chances dried up for both sides after this and the next notable shot on goal was what proved to be the winner on 84 minutes.
A throw in on the right found its way to Connor Duffin and his charged down shot ran towards Ridge 15 yards out. His low shot was pushed away by Smart but Wort was on hand to fire home the re-bound from six yards out.
The home side went close to levelling the scores again with a minute to go when Faris Khallouqi was set up with a chance to shoot from the left hand edge of the box but he put his shot straight at Mowthorpe.
