Centre Dan Gates brings up personal landmark club milestone but it arrives on tough day for Portsmouth RFC in heavy Old Cranleighans defeat

The long-serving centre is now 250 not out in terms of league and cup matches for the Rugby Camp-based side, yet his team-mates were unable to put up a rousing performance on his big occasion as they were soundly beaten 57-14 in Thames Ditton.

In what was Portsmouth's 11th and final game on the road and penultimate fixture of the campaign, defeat to place-below second-bottom Old Cranleighans means they have gone through the whole season without managing to pick up a single victory away from home.

It means all five of Gareth Richards' side's wins have come on home turf and they have a chance to extend that further when they bring the curtain down on the season when fifth-placed Andover head to Rugby Camp on Saturday.

Portsmouth actually got themselves on the scoreboard first as centre Evan Watts scored a converted try which was soon to be cancelled out.

But with number eight Ollie Simpson sin-binned, Old Cranleighans took advantage to open up a 14-7 half-time lead.

Watts would add his and Portsmouth's second converted try after the restart with things in the balance at 14-apiece.

But things really unravelled for Richards' side from that point. They would concede a further six tries - eight across the match - after going level at 14-14.

While they were also dealt the blows of John Nichols (Achilles) and Anthony Fookes (ankle) both being forced off through injury in the second half.