PORTSMOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB

Pompey eased into the second round of the FA Youth Cup with a 12-0 thrashing of Moneyfields at Fratton Park.

Ben Close was the star of the show with four first half goals, while Chad Field (2), Lewis Gill, Jack Whatmough, Bradley Tarbuck, Adam May, Harry Medway and Lewis Horsburgh also found the target.

Paul Hardyman’s side will now host the winner of Friday’s match between Barton Rovers and Stevenage in the next stage.

Patrick Agyemang, Dan Butler, Danny East, Ricky Holmes and Jed Wallace were among the first team stars watching in a packed south stand.

Manager Guy Whittingham and chairman Iain McInnes were also paying close attention to the young Blues stars.

Pompey, unsurprisingly, controlled possession straight from kick-off, with the visitors content to sit back and soak up pressure.

They had a few scares early on, with Tarbuck’s drive saved before Horsburgh saw an effort blocked.

Whatmough then watched his header cannon off the crossbar, while Field was unable to force the loose ball through a sea of bodies.

The opener did arrive on 14 minutes, though, in a moment that James Elliot will be keen to forget.

A 25-yard shot from CLOSE headed straight towards the Moneyfields keeper, who somehow let the ball squirm through his hands and into the net.

The visitors thought they had equalised with their first proper foray into Pompey’s half soon after, but Declan Seiden was in an offside position when he stroked the ball home.

And the Blues should have doubled their advantage on 28 minutes following good work down the right by Tarbuck.

The forward did well to beat his marker and send a teasing low cross into the box, but Horsburgh could only turn the ball wide as he slid in at the far post.

Pompey did strengthen their lead seconds later, though, as GILL curled home a fine shot from just outside the box.

And a third goal arrived on 35 minutes as FIELD was left all alone in the penalty box to convert a corner.

The defender did not have long to wait for his second goal of the evening – just two minutes in fact.

FIELD was well placed to poke the ball over the line after Elliot had failed to hold a free-kick at the far post.

 

The floodgates were well and truly open now and CLOSE made it 5-0 on 40 minutes when he completed a fine passing move.

There was still time for CLOSE to complete his hat-trick before the break, drilling home from the edge of the box following good build-up play by Horsburgh and Medway.

And CLOSE then tapped home his fourth – and third in the space of just five minutes – from close range.

Half Time: Pompey 7 Moneyfields 0

Jae Heon Kim and May were brought on at the start of the second half and the latter almost scored within seconds of the restart, only to see his long-range lob bounce back off the bar.

But the Blues did score an eighth on 48 minutes when WHATMOUGH rose highest in the box to meet Tarbuck’s corner and send a bullet header into the net.

TARBUCK then added his name to scoresheet, lashing home after Elliot had done well to keep out Horsburgh’s shot.

And MAY put Pompey into double figures with a neat finish before MEDWAY became the seventh different scorer after turning home Whatmough’s header.

HORSBURGH had played a key role in plenty of the Blues’ goals and finally got on the scoresheet himself on 70 minutes, curling home a neat shot after being fed by Medway.

There were more chances for the rampant hosts as they continued to attack in the closing stages, but they had to be content with just the 12 goals.

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Bass; Haunstrup, Field, Whatmough (c), Medway; Nilsen (May 46), Close (Smart 59); Rwakarambwe, Tarbuck, Gill (Kim 46); Horsburgh

Goals: Close 14, 40, 42, 44, Gill 29, Field 35, 37, Whatmough 48, Tarbuck 53, May 57, Medway 61, Horsburgh 70

Sub not used: Raine

Moneyfields (4-4-2): Elliot; Bowbrick, Giddens, Johnson, Kyle (Arnold 38); Thomas, Raine, Wiggins (c), Kemp (Faye 43); Seiden, Cave (Glen 54)

Subs not used: Pashley, Turnbull

Referee: Graham Kane

Attendance: 948


Photo: Paul Jacobs/The News