Just three days after their last meeting, the Moles welcomed AFC Portchester to Hill Farm Lane. The first time the team had played there in 62 days – thanks to the wet weather.
The Moles made two changes from Saturdays side with Carl Dennison starting in goal replacing CJ Fubler and Harry Pashley making his first full debut for the club.
The first half will be one the team will want to forget. They just couldn’t get into their usual rhythmn and were 3-0 down by half time with goals from Pennery and two from Wort.
The last time the time was 3-0 down at half-time, they went on to beat Leatherhead 5-4. They couldn’t do it a second time could they? The Moles got one back when Toby Thompson lobbed Portchester keeper Mowthorpe from long range and then a second a few minute later when Nathan Jones poked the ball home from a yard out.
The score was 3-2 to Portchester with 30 minutes left. The visitors extended their lead in the 64th minute when Moles keeper Dennison was judged to have brought down Ryan Pennery and Alfie Stanley converted the resulting penalty.
This took the wind out of the Moles and they were unable to make any further inroads. Zak Willett was sent off for the visitors in the dying minutes of the game when he was adjudged to have stood on Toby Thompson.
After the games, Moles manager Ross Weatherstone commented “Unfortunately tonight we got the result that our 1st half performance warranted! Portchester were honest, hard working & efficient in their work, fully deserving of the win I was pleased with the 2nd half reaction the team gave but tonight it wasn’t meant to be. Bring on Sat.”
The Moles next welcome Littlehampton Town to Hill Farm Lane on Saturday 21st March KO 3pm. With Littlehampton sitting just one point and one position behind the Moles, this is the very definition of a six pointer.
Photos: Andrew Spiers
