The scoring statistics which outline Fareham Town's goal-den start to the season after putting six past US Portsmouth

Free-scoring Fareham Town hit six or more goals in a match for the fifth time this season as they completed a Wessex League Premier Division rout over US Portsmouth.
Fareham's Curt Robbins, right, fires home the first of his three goals against US Portsmouth. Picture: Paul ProctorFareham's Curt Robbins, right, fires home the first of his three goals against US Portsmouth. Picture: Paul Proctor
Fareham's Curt Robbins, right, fires home the first of his three goals against US Portsmouth. Picture: Paul Proctor

Curt Robbins bagged a seven-minute second half hat-trick while Caum Benfield struck twice with Charlie Cooper completing the scoring as they ran out 6-1 victors at Cams Alders.

The thumping victory propelled Pete Stiles' men up to third in the Wessex Premier table - and took their league scoring tally to an incredible 36 goals in just nine outings.

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When taking into account their three cup fixtures this term, Fareham have found the net a remarkable 47 times in 12 matches in all competitions - with the FA Cup defeat at Alresford the only game they've failed to score in.

Yet, Stiles admitted the final scoreline against US Portsmouth actually 'flattered' his troops.

The Fareham boss had no doubt his team were worthy winners - but conceded he would have 'laughed' had someone said his men would hit six against USP given they were only leading 2-1 with 13 minutes left.

Stiles said: ‘Don’t get me wrong, 6-1 flattered us. No-one could deny we should have won but they sort of fell apart at the end a bit, really.

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‘It was coming and after the third one - I thought once we got the third - you would start seeing four, five or six.

‘All credit to them (US Portsmouth), they had a right old go first half. I knew I had a couple of subs to make and I felt comfortable we were going to win. If you asked me with quarter of an hour to go we’re going to end 6-1 I would have laughed.’

This was actually a tight league encounter up until Fareham's late blitz. Brodie Spencer struck 10 minutes before the break to cancel out Benfield's curling opener on the half-hour mark as it was 1-1 at the interval.

Cooper fired home his seventh of the season six minutes after the restart to restore the hosts' advantage.

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It wasn't until 77 minutes in when Robbins struck the first of his three. He then grabbed his second two minutes later before Benfield completed his brace to make it 5-1 eight minutes from time.

Robbins then rounded off a seven-minute treble to complete the scoring and another thumping Fareham victory.

But, having started Robbins in a defensive midfield role before moving him up front, Stiles joked it was one of Robbins' 'worst' outings for the club.

Stiles added: ‘It’s quite funny because I had Curt sat in front of the defence and when I took Gary Austin off I pushed him up for the last 15 minutes.

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‘To be quite honest, it’s probably it’s his worst game for us and he scored a hat-trick.

‘All the players were taking the mick because he couldn’t hit a decent pass yesterday. He went up top and scored a hat-trick - it’s crazy.’

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