AFC Portchester hoping to end miserable run of results at Horndean in bid to further slice gap on Wessex League leaders

AFC Portchester are aiming to end a miserable run at Horndean on Tuesday night in a bid to further slice the gap on Wessex League Premier Division leaders Alresford.

The Royals are 10 points behind the table-toppers after coming from behind to beat Baffins at the weekend while Alresford were crashing to a 1-0 home loss against Fareham.

That also took Portchester back into the top four, replacing Horndean whose game at Hamble Club was postponed.

Three more points tonight will see Mick Catlin’s men cut the gap on Alresford to seven - and they would still have two games in hand.

But Portchester have suffered four successive league losses at Five Heads Park.

They lost 3-2 in both 2015/16 and 2016/17, 2-0 in 2017/18 and 6-0 last season - Sean McMonagle netting a hat-trick in the latter encounter.

The Royals’ last league win at the ground was in January 2015, when Luke Sweeney’s hat-trick set up an eye-popping 7-2 victory.

Alex Baldacchino (2), current Reading midfielder Andy Rinomhota and former Pompey, Hawks and Gosport star Sammy Igoe were also on target.

'If we are going to win promotion this season then we will almost certainly have to finish above Horndean,' said Catlin.

'Every week it gets tighter and tighter at the top.

'We know that we have to keep winning games and having just gone above Horndean we want to stay there.

'It will be tough because they are starting to come into some form.

'Though we recently beat them 2-1 at our place, it was a game that could have gone either way.

'Generally both teams like to get the ball down and play football.

'The pitches at the moment, however, makes that difficult.

'It is likely to be heavy again so it will be a case of rolling our sleeves up and doing the ugly stuff.

'We managed that in beating Baffins.

'The two teams are evenly matched and it will boil down to who wants it the most.

'Michael Birmingham will certainly be plotting to get his revenge.'

Jordan Rose is expected to continue in the heart of the defence after his excellent debut.

The ex-Hawks defender has joined the Royals on loan from Blackfield & Langley.

His experience can prove valuable to Catlin's side in the second half of the season.

Apart from the injured Baldacchino, Catlin has a full strength squad to choose from.

Horndean have strung together an unbeaten run of six league games - four wins and two draws - since losing 2-1 at Portchester on December 21.

Home manager Birmingham is relishing the encounter.

'One thing I know is that my team will give it everything they have got,' he said.

'In my opinion Portchester can win the league.

'They get good support, pay good money and have put together a squad of players that are worth every penny.

'At their place we didn't give a good account of ourselves but will look to make the most of home advantage.

'It is great to see Joe Noakes back in the Portchester ranks after his horrendous injuries.

'The way he has battled back speaks volumes about his character.

'I'd rather he wasn't playing against us, though.'

Horndean have kept three successive clean sheets, and last Tuesday prevented AFC Stoneham from having a single shot on target during a 0-0 stalemate.

Stoneham will replace Alresford at the top of the table on Tuesday night if they can beat rock bottom Amesbury.

Former Fareham and US Portsmouth striker Callum Laycock netted twice in a 3-1 home win over Hamworthy at the weekend - extending the Purples’ unbeaten league run to 14 games.