Eight games in 24 days for Wessex League clubs – but US Portsmouth boss Quirke is ‘relishing’ punishing schedule

US host Fareham Town in a Premier Division game on Wednesday (7.45pm) in what will be both sides’ second fixture in a punishing run of eight games in just 24 days.

League games, Hampshire Senior Cup and FA Vase ties are on the horizon for both US and the Creeksiders before they return to HMS Temeraire on September 27 to face each other again in the Portsmouth Senior Cup.

Add in Wessex League Cup ties in the week beginning October 3, and both US and Fareham are this week starting a run of playing five successive midweek games.

That’s a schedule that would no doubt send Jurgen Klopp apoplectic, but grassroots football managers have to grin and bear it.

‘For the level we’re at, it’s pretty demanding,’ said US boss Fraser Quirke. ‘But I’m absolutely not complaining.

‘It’s good to get minutes into the lads, the pitches are still nice, the weather is decent.

‘I can understand why they do it (schedule so many games into a short space of time), and I’m relishing it.’

US enter Wednesday’s game on the back of what Quirke described as an ‘entertaining’ goalless stalemate with Brockenhurst at the Victory Stadium last weekend.

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A clean sheet was certainly welcome - only the club’s second in 18 Wessex fixtures, a run stretching back to January 18.

‘Charlie Shepherd made a fantastic save late on,’ recalled Quirke, ‘but at the other end Kelvin Mathie was only a toenail away from a far post tap in. It could have gone either way, a draw was a fair result.’

Quirke’s son, Cameron, and Sam Emeney miss Fareham’s visit due to holidays while Moussa Traore serves the final game of his suspension.

The former Gosport Borough U23 striker was handed a three-game ban after being sent off in the FA Cup defeat at Laverstock & Ford, where he had come on as a sub.

Boss Graham Rix returns to the Fareham dugout after missing last weekend’s 7-2 Wessex win against Cowes at Cams Alders.

The former Pompey manager was serving a one-game stadium ban after being sent off in a pre-season friendly against Gosport Borough.

Fareham have won their last four games in all competitions, conceding just the two goals against Cowes in the process.

Elsewhere, AFC Portchester last Saturday began a run of seven games in 24 days, while Baffins are playing seven times in 25 days – their FA Cup tie against Winchester took place last Friday.

Horndean have six games in the 24-day period where US and Fareham play eight times, while Moneyfields – due to cup exits – are only in action five times.

*At present, US are due to provide the opposition for Moneyfields’ first game at the latter’s new John Jenkins Stadium on Saturday, October 8.

However, US are happy to stage the Wessex Premier fixture if the new facilities at Dover Road are not yet ready for use.

As it stands, US host Moneyfields on January 3 but Quirke said: ‘We have to play them home and away, it doesn’t matter in which order.’