Former Portsmouth star Brett Pitman grabs another winner as AFC  Portchester extend 100 per cent Wessex League run at Baffins Milton Rovers

The former Pompey star celebrated his return to Portsea Island last night by heading a late winner at Baffins Milton Rovers.

Pitman, who now has six goals in his five league matches in the ninth tier of English football, found space in the penalty area to nod in a Connor Bailey free-kick with seven minutes remaining.

Portchester needed to come from behind to record a 3-2 Premier Division win at the PMC Stadium and extend their league record to played five won five.

The Royals remain second in the table behind Bemerton Heath, who have also won all five games so far and boast a superior goal difference.

Baffins stunned their visitors by taking a half-time lead, Tom Vincent - dual signed from Winchester City - bagging their first league goal of 2022/23.

Portchester were adamant they should have had a penalty, though, when Marley Ridge was fouled.

Former Fratton Park youngster Harrison Brook levelled shortly into the second half - making it two goals in as many Wessex starts.

Sam Pearce headed in a free-kick to put the visitors in front before Vincent levelled matters 10 minutes from time.

‘It was a pretty even first half,’ reported Royals boss Dave Carter. ‘They (Baffins) gave it a real go, but I wouldn’t say any time deserved to be in front (at half-time).

‘In the second half we absolutely dominated and deserved the three points.

‘Tommo (Baffins boss Danny Thompson) will probably feel a little hard done by, they hit the post in the first half and had one cleared off the line in the second, but we could have scored a few more ourselves.’

Brook started up front alongside Pitman following the departure of striker Felipe Barcelos, who has left due to his work commitments in the Swindon area.

With Curt De Costa unavailable due to concussion protocols, ex-Baffins captain James Cowan also returned to the starting XI.

Pitman’s winner followed up the deciding goals he netted on his first two league outings, against Cowes and Blackfield & Langley.

‘That’s why we brought Brett in, that’s what he’s there to do,’ stated Carter as Portchester continue to enjoy their best-ever start to a Wessex League campaign.

Thompson, meanwhile, insisted it was a ‘kick in the teeth’ that Rovers didn’t pick up their first point of the season.

‘We were very, very unlucky,’ he remarked. ‘I know I sound like a broken record stuck on repeat, but we played ever so well, we deserved at least a point.

‘Look at the quality in their squad, Sam Pearce, James Cowan, Brett Pitman, Marley Ridge … we went toe to toe with them for 95 minutes.

‘We conceded from three set-pieces and if you do that you’ll struggle to win any game. Portchester didn’t score from open play and we have to take that as a positive.

‘I couldn’t have asked any more from my lads.

‘We could have been two up at half-time, Tom Vincent had a header that hit the post … we’re not killing teams off when we’re on top and that’s come back to bite us.’

Due to a quirk of the fixture list, the top two teams face each other this weekend, as do the bottom two teams.

Portchester and Bemerton put their 100 per cent records on the line at the OnSite Group Stadium, while something also has to give when Baffins host Blackfield & Langley.

Rovers and Blackfield are the only two Wessex Premier teams without a point so far.