Royals plan to give youth a real chance

AFC Portchester manager

Dave Carter plans on handing opportunities to some of the club's most promising prospects as he looks to build a foundation for next season.

The Royals ended a run of two successive defeats with a 1-1 home Wessex League Premier Division home draw against highly fancied Shaftesbury.

Teenager Harvey Aston once again started for Porchester while under-23 players Archie Greenough, who led the line in the Royals' 4-0 Portsmouth Senior Cup defeat to Gosport Borough last midweek, Fin Bello and Leo King were all named on the bench.

Carter has seen AFC Totton loan pair Adam Tomasso and Ryan Pennery both return to their parent club, with Mike Carter also being recalled by Gosport Borough.

Elsewhere, striker Clayd

Roach's brief Portchester stay has ended, Joe Briggs has returned to Moneyfields and George Colson is taking some time away from football.

With the Royals currently sitting 12th, some 21 points off leaders Horndean, Carter conceded promotion now looks beyond his squad this term.

So he's viewing the remainder of the season and the perfect chance to blend in some of the club's brightest young prospects.

Carter said: ‘I think we’re resigned to saying promotion is probably a little bit too far beyond us now.

‘We’re going to look to promote from within, get our core, and build for next season really.

‘We want to finish as high up the league as we can, that’s the main objective this season.

‘There were a lot of positives to take from it (Shaftesbury draw). Obviously we’ve lost quite a few players recently.

‘Adam Tomasso has gone back to AFC Totton, George Colson’s having a bit of a break from football.

‘Clayd (Roach) has gone to Hamble so on the back of a few defeats to get something from the game was most important.

‘It gives us a chance to look at a few youngsters. Archie Greenough started against Gosport on Tuesday and did very well.

‘Harvey (Aston) played well on Tuesday night and he started (against Shaftesbury) and also done well.’

Defender Sam Pearce's fine freekick found the bottom corner to hand the hosts the lead on 21 minutes.

Shaftesbury would level before the break though, with Ash Pope firing home on 41 minutes after Portchester had failed to clear their lines from a corner.

Chances came at both ends after the restart with George Barker clipping the post with an effort 10 minutes from time.

‘We defended well, we had Conor Bailey missing through suspension, George Barker and Sam Pearce played with slight knocks,’ said Carter.

■ Tomasso was on target as

AFC Totton produced the most remarkable result of the FA Trophy second round.

He headed in the Stags’ final goal in a stunning 5-0 second round win at two divisions higher Concord Rangers. Pennery was an unused sub.