Record-breaking former Portsmouth star Brett Pitman on target again as Shaftesbury win promotion from Wessex League

After netting the only goal of the play-off semi-final against former club Portchester, the ex-Fratton Park ace repeated the feat in the play-off final at Stoneham.

Pitman’s close range effort ensured Stoneham lost for only the second time at home in a Wessex League game in 2023/24.

Coincidentally, the only other loss was 2-1 to Shaftesbury in December when Pitman - who else? - netted twice, including an 89th minute penalty winner.

The Purples, therefore, ended up staying in the Wessex League despite ending with 95 points (five more than Shaftesbury managed) and a goal difference of plus 105.

That’s more points than some champions recorded in other ninth tier leagues, while it was the same points total as North West Counties League title winners Wythenshawe - from eight fewer fixtures!

As for Pitman, he ended the league campaign having scored almost half (48.7%) of Shaftesbury’s Wessex goals in the regular season and the play-offs.

He had beaten Andy Forbes’ previous record of 55 top flight goals – scored for Winchester in 2003/04 – with a brace against Andover New Street on the final day of the regular league season.

Pitman’s Rockies percentage is far higherRecord than Wessex champions Moneyfields, where Ryan Pennery (26.2%) and Callum Laycock (24.8%) were the main contributors to a 141-goal Premier haul.

Ditto Stoneham, where Duarte Martins’ 31-goal league tally represented only 23.6% of Stoneham’s 131 league goals.