Wessex League Cup glory moves a step closer for AFC Portchester despite far from ideal preparation for New Milton quarter-final tie

The Royals recorded a 3-0 quarter-final victory over division-lower Wessex Division One New Milton Town last night to set-up a last four meeting with either Fareham Town or Downton.

Lee Wort's first-half strike - his 23rd goal in 24 games this season - put Portchester on the way to victory before substitute Lamin Jatta's late double ensured Dave Carter' s side came through the last-eight tie.

The Portchester boss was particularly impressed with how his side progressed - despite some of his players not arriving at the ground until 7.30pm after getting stuck in traffic on the M27 on the way to the cup clash because of an accident.

As a result, kick-off was delayed until 8.15pm but the Royals managed to avoid any slip-up.

Carter said: ‘Once you get that far in these cups you want to get yourself in the final. A couple of young lads did well again, Harvey (Aston) and Archie (Greenough) started and another young lad, Fin Bello, came on which was pleasing.

‘Jatta coming back from United Services and getting two goals is good for him as well.

‘It was a good result. It was a potential banana skin because there was an accident on the motorway so some of us didn’t get the the ground until 7.30pm.

‘There was an accident on the M27 so it was like a two-and-a-half hour journey. The game was delayed until 8.15pm so it was a late one!

‘It was job done, we got there and done the job. Defensively we were very solid, reduced them down to very few shots, took our chances at the right time in the game.’

Carter is now just two wins away from claiming silverware in his first season as Portchester boss having arrived at the club from Moneyfields in February.

Leading scorer Wort brilliantly the goalkeeper then slotted home to hand the Royals the lead on 28 minutes.

Striker Jatta, who came onto replace the injured George Barker in the first half, doubled his side's advantage with a drilled effort from outside the area after 77 minutes.

Jatta then grabbed his second to wrap up a 3-0 quarter-final win for Portchester in stoppage-time.