Club record crowd sees Moneyfields become only second team to take points off unbeaten Wessex League leaders AFC Portchester in Westleigh Park thriller

In a thrilling encounter, Moneys came from 0-2 and 2-3 down to grab a 3-3 Premier Division draw.

For the Royals, Brett Pitman took his league tally to 28 goals in just 19 games with a brace and Connor Bailey struck a stunning 25-yarder into the top corner against his former club.

For Moneys, Callum Laycock kickstarted the recovery after Moneys had turned around two goals down, before Charlie Bell’s brace ensured honours ended even.

Overall, it was great entertainment for an attendance officially recorded as 1,012 - easily a Moneyfields best and the highest Wessex crowd since 1,485 watched Salisbury beat cross-city rivals Bemerton Heath three days after Christmas seven years ago.

Moneys’ crowd was also higher than Hawks had recorded for their home National League South game against Eastbourne Borough - three rungs higher in the pyramid - 24 hours earlier.

Pitman found space in the Moneys penalty area to head Portchester in front before Bailey’s rocket arrowed past Dylan Kramer just after the half-hour mark.

Pitman was close to a second, with Jack Lee clearing the ball off the line.

‘That was a pivotal moment,’ said Moneys boss Glenn Turnbull. ‘If we’d gone in at 3-0 we’d really have been struggling.

‘As it was, we said to the team just to have some belief, to trust themselves. If it came off, it came off; if it didn’t, it didn’t, but at least we’d have tried.

‘We’d worked hard in training and keeping tight to Brett Pitman, but he just drifted away and scored an absolutely brilliant header.

‘Then Connor Bailey produced an unbelievable finish. All I could do was stand there and clap, I couldn’t do anything else.’

Turnbull made a change six minutes into the second half, bringing Harry Birmingham off and moving Harry Sargeant to right-back.

Charlie Bell dropped back into one of the two central midfield roles, with Ryan Pennery pushed into a more central role. With Eric Dellaud coming on to play left-back, Josh Hazell was moved further forward.

The changes had the desired effect. Laycock pulled one back three minutes later and Moneys were level when Bell struck just after the hour mark.

Their joy was short-lived, though, when Kramer was adjudged to have brought down Harrison Brook, the referee overruling his linesman who had flagged for a Portchester corner.

Pitman converted the spot-kick - his 34th league and cup goal for the Royals.

Again Moneys refused to roll over, and were awarded a penalty of their own on 71 minutes when Pennery, who joined from Portchester back in October, was pushed in the back, Bell converting.

In an end-to-end finale, sub Josh Bailey could have been Moneys’ hero but fired a shot over the bar.

‘We’ll say we could have snuck it,’ said Turnbull, ‘and they will say the same. In that respect, a draw was probably the fairest result.

‘I wouldn’t say I’m delighted, we weren’t celebrating a 3-3 draw like we’d won the league.

‘But I’m pleased; if you’d offered me a draw at half-time I’d have pulled your arm out of its socket.’

Portchester, with 17 wins and two draws to their name, are now nine points clear of Horndean at the top, though the Deans have two matches in hand - setting up a mouthwatering second half of the season.

Moneyfields – who took a point off the leaders without the injured Steve Hutchings, James Franklyn, Tom Cain and Joe Briggs and the suspended Dec Seiden and Jack Chandler – remain sixth.