‘We got the vast majority of things right’ – Portchester chairman Paul Kelly after Wessex League promotion heartache

Having led the Premier table from early October right through to April 20, the Royals were eventually overhauled by Horndean with less than a week remaining.

Horndean went on to win the title for the first time in their history, and with it automatic promotion to the Southern League.

Portchester would have joined them at step 4 level had they won their final game at Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

But instead they lost 3-0 at Moon Park and it was the Salisbury-based club who finished second - a point above the Royals - and were also promoted automatically due to their points-per-game record.

Portchester finished fourth - not even the highest position in their Wessex history - with 94 points.

That was a total that would have been good enough to win 10 of the other 15 divisions at step 5 level in England.

They would have finished runners-up in another four and third - on goal difference - in the Combined Counties League South.

Across the 16 ninth tier leagues, only three clubs - Horndean (126), Bemerton (123) and Southern Combination Leaguers Newhaven (119) - scored more goals than their 115.

But it was in defence that the title was lost. While Horndean only conceded 21 goals in 38 games, the Royals shipped 49 - two more than Moneyfields, who finished a place and 29 points adrift of them in the table.

While Horndean kept an impressive 24 clean sheets and conceded more than two goals on just four occasions, Portchester kept 11 clean sheets and conceded two or more goals in 17 Premier fixtures.

Despite that agonising finale, though, boss Dave Carter and his assistant Gav Spurway are staying at the On-Site Group Stadium for another crack at Portchy’s Holy Grail of promotion next season.

Kelly said: ‘We are all extremely disappointed with how the season has ended - the committee, the football management, the players, our staff and volunteers. And I know our supporters are hurting too.

‘In the coming weeks we will all no doubt reflect on the season just gone and look at the things we did well and the things we need to change to improve what we do both on and off the pitch.

‘However, we must also realise that we got the vast majority of things right during the 2022-23 campaign - our team led the Wessex Premier Division for over six months and it was only in the last week of the season we were knocked off top spot.’

In an article on the Royals website, Kelly continued: ‘We didn’t lose a league game until February, picked up over 90 points and had a striker (Brett Pitman) score 50 goals in a season - you don’t achieve all of those things if you are getting things wrong.

‘The end of the season outcome came down to small differences between the clubs who were successful and those who missed out on promotion.

‘To miss out on a top two finish by just a point is incredibly difficult for all of us to take but it shows that we don’t need to do too much more to achieve our aims and goals in the future.

‘Therefore we are delighted to confirm that Dave and Gav will continue in their roles for next season.’

Carter returns to former club Horndean on Tuesday for a delayed Portsmouth Senior Cup semi-final.

He has won the trophy twice as a manager, both times during his tenure at Five Heads Park.

He oversaw a 5-0 caning of Petersfield 5-0 in 2008/09, the season Horndean finished bottom of the Wessex Premier.

Carter was also in charge in 2010/11 when a goal from sub Nathan Paxton gave the Deans a 1-0 final win over Moneyfields at Dover Road.

That win completed a promotion and cup double, with the Deans having finished runners-up behind Downton in Division 1.

Portchester last reached the PSC final in 2017/18, losing 3-0 to Hawks at Fratton Park - second half goals coming from James Hayter (2) and Alfie Rutherford.

The winners of the Horndean v Portchester tie will face Fareham or Fleetlands in the Fratton Park final on May 16.