The Servio Men’s Senior Cup holders came from a goal down to beat Havant and Waterlooville 2-1 on a freezing cold night at The OnSite Group Stadium.

It was a fairly even match with the Royals not taking some good chances they created earlier on before their late comeback, and Havant’s sharpness in closing the home side down quickly ensured they kept a tight grip on the game.

Havant had a good chance to open the scoring on 11 minutes when Reuben Swann was sent clear into the centre of the penalty area but keeper Steven Mowthorpe made a point-blank save to push his shot from eight yards out around the post.

The Royals should have taken the lead four minutes later when quick passing down the left put Connor Duffin clear in space and when he squared the ball across the six yard box, Josh Clack appeared to have a simple tap in to score but he rolled his shot wide of the target.

Quick passing and movement down the right saw the visitors take the lead on 19 minutes when a pass was slipped through to Henry Yates and he placed his shot across Mowthorpe and into the far corner of the net.

Portchester kept creating decent half chances to get back on level terms. Clack’s cross from the right found Duffin, whose shot was blocked and before Pennery could get a shot away a defender blocked the ball at his feet.

On 25 minutes a free kick played into the box from midfield saw Archie Willcox out jump everyone but his header dropped on to the roof of the net. The home defender had another chance to score three minutes later from a corner but his header lacked power and went straight to keeper George Bonney.

Moments before half time Pennery picked up the ball on the left hand side of the box before playing it inside to Marley Ridge but the midfielder put his shot from 15 yards out over.

Duffin had the ball in the net five minutes into the second half but it was ruled out for offside and then Harrison Brook and Olly Searle had shots blocked from a corner on the right.

The Royals almost grabbed an equaliser on 73 minutes when James Cowan sent Pennery clear down the left side of the box before he pulled the ball back to Harrison Brook on the penalty spot but he fired his shot straight at Bonney.

Bonney just about managed to block and then hold on to a dangerous cross from the right before Havant almost put the game to bed with ten minutes remaining. Harvey Laidlaw’s free kick from 25 yards out beat the defensive wall but dropped narrowly wide of the post.

Portchester then drew level on 84 minutes thanks to a corner from the right which was headed back across goal at the far post by Ryan Wilkins and substitute Ash Howes headed it back across goal again and the ball dropped inside the post.

The home side’s quick turnaround of the scoreboard was complete on 86 minutes when Harrison Brook and Oli Davies’ quick passing allowed the ball to be slipped through to Pennery inside the box and he rolled his shot past Bonney and into the net.