Goal-happy AFC Portchester maintain treble chase with another double-figure hammering of Bedhampton Village in Hampshire Women’s League

The Royals remained a point clear of Eastleigh Reserves at the top of the Hampshire Women’s League second tier with a 10-0 romp at The On-Site Stadium.

Top scorer Eilidh Currie took her seasonal tally to 21 in 11 games with a hat-trick, while further goals came from Chloe Nichols (3), Lynsey Crewe (2), Ella Wilson and Chantelle Robinson.

Bedhampton must be sick of the sight of Portchester; they were also drubbed 10-0 at home by them earlier in the season and on their previous visit to the Royals, in 2020/21, had lost by the same score.

With the top two expected to win promotion to the top flight, Portchester are now six points clear of third-placed Andover New Street with four games in hand.

The Royals, managed by Mark Dugan, have only dropped two points in their nine league games so far.

They have caned Eastleigh 5-1 at home and also won 7-0 at Andover New Street.

Dugan’s squad are also in two cup semi-finals.

They travel to top flight QK Southampton in the last four of the League Cup, and welcome top flight leaders Shanklin in the semi-final of the Hampshire FA Cup.

The Isle of Wight side will hold no fears for Portchester, who have already beaten Rushmoor - currently second in the top flight - in both cups this season, including an 8-1 League Cup hammering.

The Royals are aiming to win their second Hampshire League title since the squad were reformed in the summer of 2020.

They haven’t lost a league game in that time, winning 17 and drawing two - scoring a huge 113 goals in the process and conceding just six.

The only defeats they have suffered have come against Portsmouth Women - from the third tier of women’s football in this country - in Portsmouth & District FA Senior Cup action.

They were thrashed 12-0 in last season’s semi-final and 13-0 in the 2021/22 tournament at Westleigh Park two months ago.

‘That shows the gap we need to bridge in the next four or five years,’ declared Dugan.

‘We want to reach the Southern Region Premier. When we got the squad back together again, we said that was the goal. That’s what we’re aiming for.’

Portchester boast a thriving girls and ladies section, with eight teams at various age groups. The club have also created a Development squad, which will play in the bottom tier of the Hampshire League in 2022/23.