Royals aiming for League Cup glory against in-form Monks
AFC Portchester have home advantage as they attempt to lift their first silverware since 2018.
The Royals host fellow Premier club Hamble in the final of the Wessex League Cup this afternoon (3pm) at the On-site Group Stadium.
The ground regularly hosts the final of the competition, as it did when Portchy last won it - beating Fawley 4-0 six years ago.
On that occasion Alex Baldacchino netted twice with Dan Wooden and sub Bobby Scott also on target.
Defender Ollie Searle, who has made 30 league and cup appearances this season, is the sole member of the Royals squad that day still at the club.
Portchester will start as favourites to win the Wessex Cup for a third time - they also denied Petersfield a league and cup double by winning 1-0 in 2015 - against the club they finished 31 points clear of in 2023/24.
Both their games against the Monks were close, though - a 1-1 draw at Hamble before a 2-1 home win after Hamble had taken an early lead.
Hamble are also in storming form, having belted 23 goals and conceded none in winning their last four games.
They ended their league season by thrashing Bournemouth Poppies 7-0 away, US Portsmouth 4-0 away and Lymington 6-0 at home - 55-goal top scorer Clayd Roach netting eight times in the process.
Roach, who had a short spell with Portchester in 2021/22, was sent off at the weekend as Hamble hammered Fareham 6-0 at Cams Alders to reach the Russell Cotes Cup final. Of Roach’s 55 goals, 23 have come in cup ties, but only three in the Wessex League Cup - a first round hat-trick against lower tier New Milton in a 7-1 romp.
Hamble have also beaten Laverstock (4-1), Sherborne (2-0) and Downton (1-0) to reach the final.
Portchy’s route has seen them overcome Frimley Green (8-0), Portland (3-0), Folland (2-1) and Stoneham (1-0). Portchester face two cup finals in the space of five days, as they also take on AFC Totton in the Hampshire Senior Cup final at Aldershot on Friday.
There they are aiming to be the tournament’s first Wessex winners since Alresford 11 years ago.