Finally a Portsmouth player among the goals - but he still finished on the losing side despite remarkable hat-trick

So unfortunate Liam Vincent finds himself in fine company after his shock goal-scoring heroics counted for little.

On loan at Hampton & Richmond, the Pompey left-back registered a Boxing Day hat-trick at Worthing.

However, he still ended up tasting defeat as their West Sussex hosts grabbed a last-minute winner to sour Vincent’s memorable day.

Following a miserable loan spell at Maidstone, he was sent on loan to Hampton & Richmond in September, with Danny Cowley eager to find the youngster games to aid development.

He has subsequently impressed during 18 appearances with the National League South side, now capped by an unlikely hat-trick.

After conceding in the opening minute against Worthing on Boxing Day, Vincent struck twice in four minutes at the Crucial Environment Stadium.

The first was a low shot into the bottom corner, while he grabbed another in the sixth minute when he tapped home at waist height, giving them a 2-1 half-time advantage.

Worthing, however, fought back to put themselves into a 3-2 lead with eight minutes remaining.

The drama wasn’t over, though, with Vincent levelling from the penalty spot, sending the keeper the wrong way, to complete his hat-trick after team-mate Sam Deadfield had his shirt pulled inside the box.

Then, on 89 minutes, Worthing had the final say, with substitute Ollie Pearce settling matters to earn the hosts a 4-3 victory.

Agony for Vincent, yet Mbappe’s France lost on penalties to Argentina after he had scored a hat-trick, while Prosinecki had to make do with a 4-4 draw with Barnsley at Pompey when he registered his first and only career treble in February 2002.

Vincent’s stay with the Beavers is up in January, with Cowley previously challenging the 19-year-old to earn himself a loan return to the National League.

He previously featured for just 76 minutes of first-team football with Maidstone – and Pompey’s boss is open to the youngster again testing himself at a higher level.

Having arrived at Fratton Park in the summer of 2021, Vincent has still to make a Blues appearance, primarily caused by a year out with a stress fracture of his left shin.

He finally pulled on a Pompey shirt for Cowley’s men in July 2022, during a friendly at the Hawks – 13 months after his capture.

Vincent totalled seven appearances during the pre-season schedule, featuring for both the first-team and Pompey XI, before sent out on loan in August, initially to Maidstone.