Chester Battle - AFC Portchester vs. Dorchester Town

There was a decent crowd at The Wicor. Including this excited seagull

After seeing the final of one famous cup competition last weekend (The Challenge Cup) it was back to the qualifying rounds of another (The FA Cup) this weekend. AFC Portchester were hosting Dorchester and it was all set up for a shock. Dorchester weren't having the best of seasons in The Southern Premier League and had lost their manager in the week. Portchester hadn't had a storming season themselves in the Wessex League (two divisions below Dorchester) but they would have fancied their chances. I had seen Dorchester in a similar situation previously at Abingdon United when they won two nil and I had also seen their Weymouth Road ground fromthe train on the way to, er, Weymouth. I'd seen Portchester also away in the cup when they beat Bournemouth comprehensively. To get this far, Portchester had to beat fellow Wessex League sides Christchurch and Amesbury Town.  

Kick off at The Wicor

Dorchester have a couple of early chances. The best is a free kick more or less right on the eighteen yard line which is sent right into the keepers arms. They have a better chance that sees them in on goal via a fortunate bounce and when the ball is pulled back to the man in space, the ball is lashed well over the bar. Portchester win a couple of corners as well as a couple of free kicks in decent spots but these are cleared by the visiting defence. The last chance of the half is a header from a Dorchester corner that is straight at the Portchester goalie.

The Dorchester keeper watches Portchester effort in the first half

Portchester emerge rejuvenated and it is them who make most of the running in the second half. They get into some decent attacking positions but they still fail to seriously trouble the keeper. It is in fact the Portchester goalie who makes the first save of the game. Dorchester are played in out on the right before the attacker forces the Portchester keeper into a brilliant save at his near post. Portchester then comes desperately close as a bending cross somehow manages to elude everyone. The deciding moment comes late on as when an effort is blocked on the line, the forward is there to force home the winner from close range.

Portchester look for the opening goal

Although you can catch a direct train to Portchester, it does take a little while to get there. Trains from either Victoria or Waterloo take the best part of two hours. It is worth getting to Portchester a bit early to wander around the castle and look across the bay to Portsmouth. If you do get up early then you can reward yourself with a pint at The Cormorant next door to the castle which had a good choice of beers. If you want to see the early kick off then The Wicor Mill half way between the station and the ground does the job. The ground is a brisk half hour walk from the staiton. The clubhouse at the ground had a good selection of drinks as well as Sky Sports.

Dugout side of The Wicor