Trips to the Wiltshire-based side have always proved to be difficult for the Royals - and this encounter was no different, with the home side producing a performance that left you wondering why they are currently down near the bottom of the table.

The visitors had to show plenty of character to grind out a result in this game and moments of quality at just the right times proved to be the difference for them achieving that.

AFC Portchester knew they were going to be in for a difficult afternoon from the moment they conceded the opening goal with barely 20 seconds on the clock.
 
They allowed the home side to get forward down the right and a low cross into the box deflected off a defender’s outstretched leg and the loose ball rolled straight into the path of Tommy Campbell-Smith, who hit his shot low past keeper Steven Mowthorpe and into the net.
 
The visitors almost hit back immediately when a ball played up to the left edge of the box picked out Harrison Brook but he hit his shot straight at keeper Lewis Gunstone-Gray.
 
On 19 minutes James Cowan’s free kick from close to the centre circle saw Connor Duffin trying to run on to the through ball played up into the penalty area but it ran away from him before he could divert it towards goal.
 
The Royals got back on level terms on 28 minutes after their first piece of flowing attacking play won them a corner on the left. The ball picked out Ryan Wilkins when it was swung towards the far post and the midfielder headed the ball into the net.
 
Portchester almost took the lead a minute into the second half with a good passing move which was started by Ryan Pennery when he kept the ball in on the left hand side. He played it inside to Brook, who knocked the ball on to Duffin but after working the space to shoot he fired the ball well over the target.
 
Three minutes later Charlie Williamson’s cross from the right perfectly picked out Pennery’s run to the far post but his downward header bounced narrowly wide.
 
The Royals rode their luck on 53 minutes when Cameron Roach got on the end of a through ball after the home side won possession on the right. He took the ball to the edge of the box and then unleashed a low shot, which beat Mowthorpe but cannoned back off the far post.
 
On 59 minutes substitute Marley Ridge had an instant impact in the midfield area by winning possession and sending in a cross which found Pennery. He laid the ball off to Duffin but his shot was always moving away from the target.
 
A minute later Brook chased down a ball on the left before setting the ball across the box to Pennery but his shot from 15 yards out went straight at Gunstone-Gray.
 
Portchester finally took the lead on 61 minutes when they broke up play in the centre circle and Duffin was sent racing clear on the right. He hit the perfect pass across the box towards Brook, who finished off the move with a low shot into the net from eight yards out.
 
However, just as the visitors got their noses in front Laverstock came at them again and created several decent chances to get back on level terms.
 
Two minutes after Portchester’s goal Roach hit a shot from the right hand side of the penalty area that Mowthorpe was forced to tip over the bar. From the resulting corner Lewis Wakeford put his free header over from close range.
 
On 69 minutes the home side drew level with a move which started on the right. The visiting defence allowed the ball to be worked across the penalty area and a low ball into the six yard box found Carson Arnold and he tucked his shot under Mowthorpe from close range.

From this point both sides fancied their chances of claiming the three points and a nervy battle ensued.

On 78 minutes Ridge won the ball in midfield and after exchanging passes with Williamson he played a pass through to Pennery but his shot was blocked.

Two minutes later Pennery kept a ball that was going out of play alive and found Wilkins with a pass but the midfielder put his shot wide.

With 90 minutes showing on the stopwatch substitute Josh Clack won a corner on the right and when it was swung into the six yard box, Kane O’Keefe jumped above everybody to head the ball into the net.