Portsmouth handed New Forest fixture after 30-year absence for cup competition

A youthful Blues travel to Bashley this evening (7.45pm) for the second round of the competition.

It represents the first time the sides have met at Bashley Road since 1994, when Bashley ran out 3-0 winners in a pre-season friendly against a Pompey XI containing Chris Burns and Lee Russell.

The Bash have enjoyed an encouraging start to their Southern League Division One South season, taking nine points from their opening four games to position themselves in fourth.

Last weekend they also progressed into the next round of the FA Trophy, after beating Mousehole on penalties in front of a 234 crowd.

Now they are to entertain Pompey at the Veho Community Stadium, although will face Sam Hudson’s under-18s rather than the Championship first-team.

Harry Clout, fresh from being involved in all three goals in the Academy’s weekend 3-0 win over Cambridge United, is expected to feature.

The promising left winger caught the eye of supporters in pre-season for John Mousinho’s men and recently sat on the first-team bench against Luton and Middlesbrough, albeit was unused.

However, the second-year scholar remains with the Academy and is set to line-up against Bashley in tonight’s encounter.