Spot of bother as Royals crash out
Roberts converts one spot-kick but then misses another
Kieran Roberts saw a second half penalty saved as AFC Portchester were dumped out of the FA Cup at home to Blackfield & Langley.
Prolific Roberts had struck with a penalty to reduce the Royals’ two-goal deficit in the opening 45 minutes before fluffing his lines with a second spot-kick with Dave Carter’s men suffering a 3-1 preliminary round replay loss last night.
It was an evening of frustration for Portchester who felt they should have won the oringinal tie on Saturday, conceding a late leveller to be held 1-1.
In what proved a lively FA Cup affair, the hosts left themselves with a mountain to climb after shipping two goals in four first half minutes.
Fawzi Saadi’s whipped cross was met by Harvey-Joe Bertrand - younger brother of Leicester full-back Ryan - who headed home from close range.
Provider Saadi then found the net himself, reacting quickest to fire home after
Steve Mowthorpe could only parry out, with Blackfield going 2-0 up after just 25 minutes.
Porchester had a lifeline just two minutes later when Reece Macey was adjudged to have fouled Lamin Jatta in
the area. Roberts stepped up, converting his sixth goal in just five games.
The Royals were then awarded a second spot-kick 10 minutes after the break as a Blackfield player was adjudged to have handled Sam Pearce’s header.
But Roberts was to be denied this time, as goalkeeper Amadeusz Skrzyniarz saved low to his right.
Ali Zintany then crashed home a screamer off the underside of the crossbar minutes later to put
Blackfield back in control. Birthday boy Marley Ridge had a volley cleared on the line while Roberts headed wide late on. It is Blackfield who now host two divisions higher Wimborne Town in the first qualifying round on Saturday, September 4.
George Bowerman netted twice as Alton - who dumped out US Portsmouth in the extra preliminary round defeated Bradford Town 3-0 in a replay tonight. They are the fourth Wessex club still left in the tournament alongside Hamworthy, Fareham Town’s conquerors Alresford and Shaftesbury.
AFC Portchester: Mowthorpe; Colson, Pearce, Sharp, Bailey, Ridge, Ramsey, Raine, Jatta, Roberts, Barker. Subs: Briggs (Jatta, 60), Searle (Ramsey, 81), Wort, Dinsmore, Poate, Aston, Pitman.