Carter targeting Wessex Cup final
Sub Jatta nets twice as Royals progress at Folland
AFC Portchester avoided a 'banana skin' but did get stuck in a jam as they moved a step closer to Wessex League Cup silverware.
The Royals recorded a 3-0 quarter-final victory over lower tier New Milton Town on Tuesday 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 sub Lamin Jatta's late double sealed the win.
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 because of an accident.
As a result, kick-off was delayed until 8.15pm.
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.
‘It was like a two-and-ahalf hour journey.
‘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 gave the visitors, the Wessex League Cup winners in 2015 and 2018, a 24th minute lead.
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.
It was his first Royals goal since scoring against Laverstock in the Wessex Cup on September 14.
Jatta then grabbed his second in stoppage-time