AFC Portchester and Horndean face Southern League opposition in midweek Hampshire Senior Cup ties

The Royals host one tier higher AFC Totton in their first Hampshire Senior Cup tie of the season on Tuesday.

They then start their FA Vase adventure on the Isle of Wight at East Cowes on Saturday.

A tricky Wessex League Cup tie at Division 1 table-toppers New Milton Town follows next midweek.

New Milton are points clear at the top after a 7-0 romp at Fleet Spurs, though they have played two more games than other clubs, and stunned Moneyfields 3-2 in a previous round.

All three competitions are important to Royals boss Dave Carter, who oversaw Portchester’s run to the semi-finals of both the Hampshire Senior Cup and the Wessex League Cup last term.

They were beaten 2-0 by eventual winners Farnborough in the HSC and lost an ‘El Creekio’ derby tie at Fareham in the Wessex League Cup.

Portchester will also be hopeful of a long run in the FA Vase, given the undoubted quality in their squad.

New signings Ryan Pennery and Harry Beckley made their Royals debuts in the 6-0 Wessex romp at Alresford at the weekend - Portchester’s sixth successive league win of 2022/23.

They could be in contention to start against Totton as Carter shuffles his squad, with Pennery having began last season at the Stags.

Beckley is cup tied in the Vase, having played for Bemerton in their win at Downton, but is available for both the HSC and Wessex League Cup campaigns.

Totton fielded two players - Mike Carter and Adam Tomasso - in Saturday’s FA Cup loss at Hawks who had spells at Portchester last season.

But Stags boss Jimmy Ball is also likely to rotate his squad, with former Aldershot striker Brett Williams among the subs at Westleigh Park.

Horndean also face Southern League Division 1 South opposition in the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday.

The Deans travel to the New Forest to face a Bashley side who have lost their last three league games 1-0.

Bashley, promoted from the Wessex League last season as runners-up, did however beat Frome Town 4-1 in the FA Trophy last midweek.

The tie - like Portchester v Totton - was originally due to be played last midweek but was postponed due to FA Trophy rescheduling.

As a result, new Deans signing Brad Lethbridge is unavailable as he wasn’t signed on seven days prior to when the tie should have been played.

The former Portsmouth striker made his debut as a second-half sub in the 2-0 league win at Blackfield at the weekend.

Tommy Patterson, Chad Field, Tom Jeffes and Ethan Gee are all in contention to start at Bashley.

Patterson and Jeffes were late subs at Blackfield, while Field and Gee weren’t in the matchday squad at all.

Regards his starting XI, Deans boss Michael Birmingham will no doubt have one eye on next Saturday’s FA Vase tie with Premier Division rivals Bournemouth Poppies.

Baffins Milton Rovers are already through to the last 16 of the HSC, but Moneyfields, Fareham and US Portsmouth are all out.