Great Scott! Jones at the double once again as AFC Porchester maintain 11-point lead at the top of the Wessex League

The former Chichester City striker netted twice as the Royals defeated AFC Stoneham 3-2 in an entertaining affair at the On-Site Group Stadium.

It was Portchester’s 16th win in 17 Premier Division fixtures in 2022/23 and they remain one of just three unbeaten sides across all 14 step 5 divisions - Loughborough Students and Reading City being the others.

The Royals are also the second-highest scorers in the ninth tier. They have now netted 62 goals in just 17 fixtures - one behind Wythenshawe Town in the North West Counties League, but having played four fewer games.

Jones has only made two league starts for Portchester since signing from lower tier Newport IoW, whom he had rejoined after missing the first few weeks of the season due to being in America.

Jones had netted twice on his first Wessex start at Brockenhurst the previous week, and repeated the feat against Stoneham.

Prior to that, Jones had scored a double in a Portsmouth Senior Cup win against Hampshire Premier Leaguers Harvest.

He got his chance due to former Pompey hopeful Harrison Brook suffering a hamstring injury.

Jones set up Marley Ridge to open the scoring against Stoneham, with Duarte Martins equalising with his 25th league and cup goal of the season.

Only Portchester’s Brett Pitman, with 29, has more Wessex goals among Premier Division players this season than Martins.

Stoneham then went ahead after Curt De Costa had given away a penalty, Jim Orvis converting.

But the Purples’ lead only lasted a minute before Jones levelled. And on 37 minutes he struck again to continue a breathless opening period.

That was the end of the scoring, though.

‘It was a good game against tough opposition,’ said Royals boss Dave Carter. ‘The first half was end to end, we played some fantastic football and scored some great goals.

‘They are a well-drilled side, they will be up there around the top five. It was two teams having a right go - they didn’t come to park the bus and try to stop us scoring.

‘We’re conceding a few too many goals for my liking, but we always look like scoring and it’s the three points that matter.

‘We’ve only dropped two points in 17 games, and we’re in a good position. We’ve just got to maintain those standards now.’

Portchester’s next two league games are at Cowes next Saturday and home to Blackfield & Langley on the Saturday before Christmas.

Then come two holiday period fixtures which could get the turnstiles clicking quickly - against in-form Moneyfields at Westleigh Park two days after Christmas (3pm) and at home to ‘El Creekio’ neighbours Fareham Town on January 2.