Intriguing sub-plots behind unbeaten AFC Portchester’s bid for promotion from the Wessex League

The Royals have entered the new year nine points clear of Horndean at the top of the Wessex League Premier Division.

Though the Deans have two games in hand, never has Portchester chairman Paul Kelly’s stated aim of reaching the Southern League appeared closer than it currently does.

At the halfway stage of the Wessex Premier campaign, Portchy have only dropped four points in 19 games - via a 2-2 draw at Horndean and a 3-3 thriller against Moneyfields at Westleigh Park two days after Christmas.

The Royals’ points-per-game ratio of 2.78 is the best of any club across a total of 52 divisions, spanning the Premier League down to Division 1 of the Wessex League and its equivalent step 6 (non league) level. In other words, the top 10 tiers of English football.

Dave Carter’s side face ‘El Creekio’ neighbours Fareham Town on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm) boasting one of only six unbeaten league records in the top 10 tiers.

Northern Premier League club Spalding - who play at step 4, one tier above Portchester - are the highest-ranked club in the English pyramid yet to lose, boasting a 13-6-0 record.

Portchester are one of three step 5 clubs still unbeaten, along with Loughborough Students (16-4-0, United Counties League Premier North) and Reading City (13-3-0, Combined Counties Premier North).

Another Wessex League club, Andover New Street, are one of two step 6 clubs yet to lose. The north Hampshire club have won 13 and drawn three times so far.

Shoreham (10-5-0, Southern Combination Division 1) complete the list of unbeaten league teams.

Portchester are also the highest scorers in the top 10 tiers, having belted 68 goals in their 19 Wessex fixtures so far.

What a remarkable record it would be if Portchy could go the entire league season undefeated AND end the campaign as the top scorers in those 52 divisions!

Easier said than done, of course.

Only one club have ever completed a Wessex top flight season undefeated - champions AFC Lymington winning 35 games and drawing five in 1995/96.

More recently, Hamworthy United only lost one game en route to winning the Wessex Premier last season, and Sholing did the same when running away with the title in 2018/19.

Indeed, Dave Diaper’s Boatmen dropped just nine points in 38 games that term.

Elsewhere, as well as gunning for team glories, Royals striker Brett Pitman is in pole position to land individual honours as well.

His double strike in the draw with Moneyfields took his Wessex tally to 28 - in just 19 starts - while he now has 34 goals to his name in all competitions.

Pitman is nine goals clear of Horndean’s Zack Willett in the race to be crowned the Wessex Premier’s Golden Boot.

If he maintained his current ratio for the entire league season, Pitman would end up with 56 goals - enough to set a new Wessex Premier high.

The current record is the 55 plundered by Winchester City’s Andy Forbes in 2003/04 (part of a 72-goal league and cup haul for a City side that won the Wessex League, Wessex League Cup and the FA Vase).

Only once has that record been threatened since, in 2011/12 when another Winchester striker, Jamie White, struck 51 times.

Pitman, providing he steers clear of injury, should be able to set new Portchester league and cup scoring records in the coming months (if not weeks at his current rate).

Lee Wort holds the Royals record for the most league and cup goals netted in a season - 40 in 2021/22.

Simon Woods, with 38, holds the Royals record for the most Wessex goals in a campaign, in the club’s 2011/12 Division 1 promotion-winning term.

Wort’s 30 last season was the highest number of goals scored in a Wessex Premier campaign by a Portchester player. Pitman is just two behind, with 19 games left.

The last Wessex Premier striker to score 60-plus goals in all competitions was Sholing’s Dan Mason, who fired 64 - 44 in the league - in 2018/19. In the same season, strike partner Wort netted 50 times in all competitive action.