Feelings are mixed for boss Dave Carter as 10-man AFC Portchester extend undefeated run to 10 matches at high-flying AFC Stoneham

AFC Portchester boss Dave Carter came away with mixed emotions after watching his 10-man side make it 10 matches unbeaten in all competitions with a Wessex Premier draw at high-flying AFC Stoneham.
Marley Ridge got AFC Portchester's opener in the draw at AFC Stoneham Picture: Stuart Martin (220421-7042)Marley Ridge got AFC Portchester's opener in the draw at AFC Stoneham Picture: Stuart Martin (220421-7042)
Marley Ridge got AFC Portchester's opener in the draw at AFC Stoneham Picture: Stuart Martin (220421-7042)

The Royals battled back to claim a 2-2 draw through George Barker's late strike after the visitors' full-back Tyler Giddings was shown a straight red card - harshly in Carter's eyes - right on the stroke of half-time.

Portchester had earlier taken the lead through Marley Ridge, only for Stoneham to turn things around thanks to goals from substitute and former Royals striker Callum Laycock and Scott Hills.

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But Carter's men showed great fight, levelling through Barker 11 minutes from time, to make it 10 matches unbeaten.

The Royals boss reflected: ‘We dominated the first-half, obviously scored a good goal, looked in command right up until the 45th-minute. It was a poor decision by the referee to send Tyler (Giddings) off.

‘Pleased with that on the afterthought (picking up a point with 10-men), but I felt we were good enough to win the game.

‘I’m happy at the final result - literally the last kick of the game Lee Wort hit the outside of the post - we finished a lot stronger side.

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‘Don’t get me wrong, they had a lot of possession, but the boys work tirelessly. There was a good save from Steve Mowthorpe second half, Sam Pearce cleared one off the line.

‘It takes our unbeaten run to 10 but overall it’s disappointing because I felt we should have got all three points out of yesterday - but it just proves how far we’ve come.’

Ridge's pinpoint header handed the visitors the lead on 12 minutes and they remained largely in the ascendancy up until Giddings' dismissal seconds before the break. The full-back was shown a straight red card for his lunging tackle on the halfway line.

Former Portchester striker Laycock, introduced as a half-time substitute, came back to haunt his old side by volleying Stoneham level on 54 minutes.

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It looked a long way back when Hills lobbed over Steve Mowthorpe to fire the hosts ahead for the first time after 68 minutes.

But Barker levelled things up once more 11 minutes from time and Lee Wort so nearly snatched all three points for Portchester deep in stoppage-time - yet his crisp lovely struck the outside of the post and went wide.

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