AFC Portchester

It’s Non League Day today when fans of the big clubs have no game. Shaftesbury v AFC Portchester is one fixture that’s definitely worth a look.

Milligan’s mantra

Manager Jim Milligan has overseen three straight victories since the defeat to Moneyfields in February. A Cameron Beard goal 15 minutes from time securing a 1-0 win at United Services Portsmouth last weekend.

‘Beardo’ has been a revelation recently and really has established himself as a club legend and what Shaftesbury FC 1888 are about. Beard has also played in the Southern League South & West Division and along with others has that experience.

This was a difficult place to go despite the home side sitting next to bottom of the Velocity Wessex League Premier Division table.They ran AFC Portchester close on the previous Thursday and also had beaten AFC Stoneham earlier in the season.

AFC Portchester currently have leapfrogged us into 3rd place with wins at United Services Portsmouth 3-2 and at home to Hamble Club on Saturday.

They face AFC Stoneham in the semi final of the Velocity Wessex League Cup for a place in the final against either the aforementioned Hamble Club or Velocity Wessex League Division 1 Downton.

AFC Portchester went out of the Russell Cotes Benevolent Cup on Tuesday night after a 2-2 draw with Hythe & Dibden at the On Site Group Stadium before losing on penalties.

No doubt gaffer Dave Carter used this game to exercise his squad and give some gametime to a few players needing it in preparation for Saturdays game.

There is a very distinct possibility that we could meet again in the play offs with a game against AFC Stoneham or the 5th place side in the final.

As we all know the last side in can often spring a surprise. Brockenhurst, Cowes Sports or Portland United for example are capable of beating anyone of us. That is the beauty of the play offs that have been introduced to the Velocity Wessex League starting this season.

However AFC Stoneham winning at Andover New Street has kind of pulled the top two sides away with ourselves and ‘Porchy’ sat behind them and the distinct possibility of playing off against each other.

We are both still in there and nothing is decided at present. Perhaps we have both started to prepare for it and both have as good a chance as anyone of going up.

Personally I think why not? Both our clubs would be desirable to the Southern League South & West Division with good grounds and lots of potential. We have both run as business models and focused on sustainability and when it gets to this stage, ironically the business end of the season there is a unity between our clubs.

We have always been made very welcome at AFC Portchester and we have had some great games with them although we haven’t picked up a point against them since Ash Pope goal secured a 1-1 draw there in November 2021! Maybe it’s our turn on Saturday?

Shaftesbury – Cameron Beard obviously has been in great form and ‘The Engineer’ Dan Bartlett is starting to show he is key player since arriving from Wimborne Town. Of course Louis Kellaway is the lynchpin in our midfield. Ash Wells experience crucial as we go into the last few games.

AFC Portchester – plenty of reasons to be cheerful. Dave Carter has remodelled a side with Josh Benfield signed from Fareham Town a notable striker with 17 goals. Harrison Brook is another player that has been impressive this season with 22 goals. Also 10 goal George Barker has weighed in on the score charts.

Top Bantz – AFC Portchester keeper Steven Mowthorpe always enjoys a banter with us. Known as ‘Mowey’ he has made some crucial saves in our recent matches.

⛱️ Shaftesbury – all competitions

Brett Pitman 49, Cameron Beard 13, Callum Sweeney 9,

* Steve Devlin 8, Asa Philips 6, Greg Peel 6, *Steve Walker 4

* No longer at club.

🏰 AFC Portchester – Harrison Brook 22, *Lee Wort 19, Josh Benfield 17, George Barker 10, Scott Jones 8

* no longer at club

🐿️ Interesting Facts – Brett Pitman is on 49 goals and if he is on target here today then he will have matched his 50 goal record for AFC Portchester. The script was written as the pundits would say.

Pitman thought he had achieved that at Lymington Town two weeks ago yet was flagged offside. A resolute United Services Portsmouth also didn’t concede to the former Ipswich Town striker so here we are.

🐿️ AFC Portchester finished 14th in their first ever Wessex League Division 3 in 2004/05 ending the season with a 3-1 defeat at Farnborough North End which had followed a 4-0 defeat to Ordnance Survey (AFC Stoneham).

The 14th August 2004 saw AFC Portchester visit the Lord Rank Playing Field in Duke Street, Micheldever and being held to a 1-1 draw in Wessex League Division 3.

In local terms Micheldever’s ground would be the equivalent to Marnhull Rec facilities wise and was in the National football pyramid. It still exists today although the club folded in January 2006. Very sad.

A measure of the progress of AFC Portchester.

🐿️ After a 4th place finish in Division 2 in 2006/07 AFC Portchester were elevated to Division 1 with the league structure now consisting of the Premier Division and Division 1. This would mean Shaftesbury and AFC Portchester would now play each other –  see records below.

🐿️ Beal Strikes – On return to the Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division club legend Jason Beal scores the winner in front of 41 fans at Wicor Mill in a 1-0 win vs AFC Portchester in April 2018. Beal now plays for Tisbury United in the Dorset Senior League.

📝 Previous Meetings🤝

⏳Timelines

⬆️ 2006/07- AFC Portchester finish 4th in Division 3. League restructured to two Divisions Premier and Division 1.

⚽ 2007/08

Sydenhams Wessex League Division 1

08/03/08 – AFC Portchester 2

(Bedden, Sweeney)

Shaftesbury 0

09/02/08 – Shaftesbury 1 (Fallows)

AFC Portchester 0

⚽ 2008/09

Sydenhams Wessex League Division 1

28/03/09

Shaftesbury 1 (Schell)

AFC Portchester 1 (James)

13/09/08

AFC Portchester 1 (Stabb)

Shaftesbury 2 (Gale, Ellis)

⚽ 2009/10

17/04/10

AFC Portchester 1 (Ripiner)

Shaftesbury 1 (OG)

05/09/09

Shaftesbury 0

AFC Portchester 1 (Woods)

⚽ 2010/11

13/11/10

AFC Portchester 3 (Bedden 2, Hardy)

Shaftesbury 3 (Beal, Cutler, Guy)

04/09/10

Shaftesbury 0

AFC Portchester 4

(Collis, Farley, Ripiner, People)

⬇️ Shaftesbury relegated to Dorset Premier League

⬆️ 2011/12 – AFC Portchester promoted to Premier Division as 1st Division runners up to champions Verwood Town.

⬆️2015/16 Shaftesbury win Dorset Premier League. Promoted to Sydenhams Wessex League Division 1

⬆️ 2016/17 Shaftesbury are promoted to the Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division in 3rd place.

⚽2017/18

Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division

23/04/18

AFC Portchester 0

Shaftesbury 1 (Beal)

Attendance – 41

02/12/17

Shaftesbury 5 (Benjamin 2, Hewlett, Mitchell, Rigley)

AFC Portchester 1 (Scott)

Attendance – 45

⚽2018/19

Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division

30/03/19

Shaftesbury 1 (Wood)

AFC Portchester 0

Attendance – 67

17/11/18

AFC Portchester 3

(Jackson, Turvey, Connor)

Shaftesbury 1 (White)

Attendance – 96

⚽ 2019/20

Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division

Shaftesbury V-V AFC Portchester

03/08/19

AFC Portchester 4

(Wooden 2, Turvey, Spencer)

Shaftesbury 0

Attendance – 85

🦠- season declared March 2020

 (Covid 19) – 30 games played.

⚽2020/21

Wessex League Premier Division

Shaftesbury V-V AFC Portchester

AFC Portchester V-V

🦠 – Season suspended 12 (Covid 19) – 12 games played.

⚽2021/22

Wessex League Premier Division

26/03/22

Shaftesbury 1 (Shepherd)

AFC Portchester 5 (Pearce,Barcelos, Greenough, Barker, Wort)

Attendance – 124

27/11/21

AFC Portchester 1 (Pearce)

Shaftesbury 1 (Pope)

Attendance – 263

⚽ 2022/23

Wessex League Premier Division

04/02/23

AFC Portchester 3 (Pitman 2, Ridge)

Shaftesbury 0

Attendance -251

03/09/22

Shaftesbury 4

(Lanahan 2, Beard, Pope)

AFC Portchester 5

(Barker 2, Pearce, Pitman, Ridge)

Attendance – 71

⚽2023/24

14/10/23

AFC Portchester 2 (Wilcox, Wort)

Shaftesbury 1 (Pitman Pen)

Attendance – 648

Record vs AFC Portchester

Pld 18 Won 5 Drawn 4 Lost 9

Goals For 23 Against 37

Pts 19 GD – 14

Article/ photos – Avril Lancaster

Pictures include – Callum Sweeney and Brett Pitman at the On Site Group Stadium vs AFC Portchester in October as we lose 2-1 to a late goal.

Brett Pitman and former skipper Gary Bowles in the tunnel before our 3-0 defeat there in February last year. Pitman got two that day.

Some photos of Wicor Mill Recreation Ground now the On Site Group Stadium and how it’s evolved since the Hampshire League and Wessex League Division 3 days to being the stadium it is today.