US Portsmouth hoping to avoid ‘Club of the Month’ curse and extend only unblemished home record in the Wessex League

They are the only team in the two division structure still boasting a 100 per cent home run after five straight successes at the (appropriately-named) Victory Stadium.

US have belted 21 goals in those wins, with a James Franklyn hat-trick inspiring a 3-0 victory over then leaders Bemerton in their last home league match on October 22.

Ironically, the last visiting team to beat US at home was this weekend’s opponents Romsey Town, who won 3-1 in Portsmouth last April.

That is one of only two home league losses US have suffered since last October - a 1-0 loss to Whitchurch United in February the only other occasion (and the only time the hosts have failed to score at home in the last 12 months).

‘We spoke in the summer about making this is a harder place to come,’ said boss Glenn Turnbull.

‘We have great facilities but we didn’t want away teams to have a nice time on the pitch.

‘We knew if we could pick up 60 or 70 per cent of our home points and keep on collecting some points away we would achieve what we want to do.

‘I just hope the Club of the Month curse doesn’t strike!’

US will collect the October award prior to kick off against a Romsey side who have won four of their last five Wessex matches.