Neck tattoo is bizarre reason US Portsmouth were forced into goalkeeping change for FA Cup success

Tom Stanley had played in goal for US during their 4-2 Wessex League curtain-raising loss at Pagham in midweek.

But he was advised not to play at Welton Rovers in the FA Cup after getting a neck tattoo in the days which followed!

‘Tom couldn’t train on the Thursday because of the swelling, and he was told he wouldn’t be okay to play football on the Saturday,’ revealed Quirke.

That meant Quirke drafted in sailor Owen Craig, who played once for US last season - in a 4-1 Wessex League loss at Moneyfields, where Quirke was assistant manager at the time.

The shot-stopper ended up playing most of the season at Locks Heath in the Hampshire Premier League.

Craig kept a clean sheet as an own goal late in the first half gave US their first FA Cup win since beating Andover Town in 2018.

But due to a deployment, he is only available for one more game - this Saturday’s league trip to Hythe & Dibden. ‘We won’t see him then until the other side of Christmas,’ said Quirke.

US - who only kept six clean sheets in 46 competitive matches last term - were ending a 14-match winless streak at Welton.

They only picked up three points in their final 13 games of 2021/22, and then lost at Pagham.

‘We created some good chances,’ said Quirke. ‘The own goal as a result of our sustained pressure.

‘Welton were quite a direct side. We saw early on that was going to be their game plan and we adjusted well.

‘I’m struggling to remember any time they stung Owen Craig’s hands. They certainly didn’t open us up. We didn’t allow them to play in the final third at all.’

US now travel to the winners of the Alresford v Laverstock & Ford replay being held on Tuesday. Though Quirke is unlikely to go himself because of training, one of his staff will be sent to Wiltshire on a spying mission.