Former Portsmouth star Brett Pitman brings up seasonal half-century of goals – but he’s not the first Hampshire non-league striker to reach that milestone!

More than a month after hitting his 49th in Royals colours, the 35-year-old reached the stunning milestone with a stoppage time winner at Hamble Club.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time and 2-1 with just minutes remaining, Pitman’s 20-yard goal sparked wild celebrations.

For the goal enabled Portchester to keep their five-point lead at the top of the Wessex League Premier Division - the ninth tier of English football.

Pitman isn’t the first non-league striker to reach the 50-goal mark this season, however.

Indeed, he isn’t even the first in Hampshire!

That honour went to Ross Cook of newly-crowned Wessex League Division 1 champions Andover New Street.

Cook netted his 50th league and cup goal of the season on Easter Saturday in a remarkable derby match.

Trailing 4-0 to neighbours Andover Town, New Street hit back to triumph 5-4 with Cook netting four times.

He took his seasonal tally to 55 - in only 39 starts plus four off the bench - with two more in New Street’s 4-1 win over Newport IoW at the weekend.

Pitman was actually the fifth striker in the top 10 tiers of English football to score 50 competitive goals this term. He was, though, the second in the top nine tiers.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland could well be next – the Norwegian superstar has 47 goals in Premier League, cup and Champions League action this season.

First to achieve the feat was Morrison Hashii of London Samurai Rovers, who play in the 10th tier - Division 1 of the Combined Counties League.

In all, Hashii has plundered a superb 69 goals in 41 league and cup games.

Second to the 50-goal mark was Aidan Rutledge, who plays for Birtley Town in Division 2 of the Northern League. Again, like New Street and Samurai, they play in the 10th tier.

Rutledge currently has 58 goals to his name - 56 of them in the league.

The first ninth tier player to reach a half-century was Leon Lobjolt of Spartans South Midlands League club Leighton Town. In all, he has scored 51 times in 49 appearances.

Like Pitman, Lobjolt was also once a professional. But there the similarity comes to a crushing halt. While Pitman scored 194 goals for clubs in the Championship and EFL - including 41 for Pompey - Lobjolt’s sole pro outing was a 20-minute sub appearance for Northampton in a League Cup tie in 2017.

Pitman’s 50 goals have come in just 42 league and cup starts plus three as a sub. Of those, 44 have been scored in the league in 36 starts plus one off off the bench.

He is only the third Wessex Premier striker to reach the half-century

In the last 17 seasons, only Jamie White (Winchester, 51 goals, 2011/12) and Justin Bennett (Andover, 48 goals, 2005/06) have scored more Wessex Premier goals than Pitman has this season.

He is still not guaranteed the division’s Golden Boot award, though - Horndean’s Zack Willett is only two behind and his side have four games remaining, compared to Pitman’s one.

Pitman has scored more league goals this season than two clubs in the Wessex Premier have in total - Cowes (30) and Alresford (23). Bournemouth Poppies have scored 44, the same as he has.

The former professional has set a new seasonal best Portchester scoring record, shattering Lee Wort’s 40-goal total set only last season.

He has also set a new Royals Wessex League seasonal goal record, beating Simon Woods’ 38-goal total in 2011/12.

He will, though, fail to get anywhere near Andy Forbes’ all-time Wessex League seasonal record of 55 set in 2003/04.

That was the season Winchester City won the league, Wessex Cup and FA Vase and Forbes ended with an astonishing 76-goal haul.