Summit showdown at AFC Portchester – Bemerton visit for the biggest game of the Wessex League season so far

Something has to give when the Royals put their 100 per cent record on the line against a Bemerton Heath side who have also won all seven of their league games so far.

The teams managed by Dave Carter and Shaun Hale are just two of seven across the 14 step 5 divisions of English non-league football yet to drop a point in 2022/23.

But that has to change in a summit showdown at the On-Site Group Stadium, where Portchester have so far only played three of their 12 league and cup fixtures this term and have yet to concede a goal.

Between them, the pair have struck 57 goals in 14 league fixtures. They have conceded just 15.

Bemerton arrive top of the pile by virtue of a better goal difference - plus 24 compared to plus 18.

Tuesday’s game will be the Royals’ first of the season against a team currently sitting in the top six.

But it heralds the start of a huge few weeks with league games against Horndean (fourth) and Hamble Club (third) scheduled for the end of the month.

There is also a home FA Vase tie against Kent club Phoenix Sports, with that competition also one the Royals are eager to go deep in.

Carter is well aware of how big October could be. ‘If we want to win the league, this is an important month for us.

‘The Bemerton game is significant, it’s a big game and you’re hoping your experienced players will step up.

‘Sam Pearce, he’s played at Wembley for Gosport, Elliott Wheeler has played for Salisbury and Gosport, he’s spent most of his career at step 3, Brett Pitman obviously, Marley Ridge was at Havant …

‘Those are the type of lads we need to step up for these sort of games.

‘We’ve got a good squad and I trust all the players.

‘It will be a massive crowd, we’re hoping for 400-500.’

Possibly with one eye on Bemerton’s visit, Pearce, Ridge, Liam Robinson and Ryan Pennery all started on the bench at Christchurch last Saturday.

While many Wessex League followers won’t be remotely surprised to see Portchester having started so well, the same might not be said of Bemerton.

After all, the Salisbury-based club were only promoted as Division 1 champions last season and lost non-league striking legend Justin Bennett to retirement in the summer.

But Hale - a former Portchester U23s manager - has pieced together a squad that have carried on winning.

Carter is not surprised. ‘A promoted side has that winning mentality and momentum,’ he remarked. ‘When I was at Moneyfields and we went up from the Wessex, the following season we were top of the Southern League at Christmas.

‘Bemerton are a good side and they had a good result (3-2 win) at Shaftesbury at the weekend, and I think Shaftesbury will be around the top four come the end of the season.’

To finish, a few stats for you. Portchester have only lost three of their last 29 league games, against the two teams - Bashley (twice) and Hamworthy - who were promoted from the Premier last season.

Bemerton have not lost at all in the league since January 15, winning 17 and drawing four of their 21 fixtures.

Up front, Portchester have netted 37 times in winning eight successive league and cup fixtures. In all this season, they have won 11 of their 12 competitive fixtures, losing only to higher tier Sholing in the FA Cup.

Bemerton have scored 42 times in winning 10 of their 12 competitive fixtures. Their only two blanks have come in home losses to Moneyfields (5-0, FA Cup) and Brockenhurst (4-0, Wessex League Cup). But Hale made a raft of changes for the latter defeat last Tuesday, with only four of the starting XI that evening starting at Shaftesbury.

Apart from Portchester and Bemerton, meanwhile, the only other five clubs in step 5 to have won all their league games so far are Badshot Lea (Combined Counties Premier South), Ascot and Reading City (both Combined Counties Premier North), Wythenshawe Town (North West Counties League Premier) and Erith & Belvedere (Southern Counties East).

Anyone for a 0-0 on Tuesday, then?