Portsmouth Men's O40s team, featuring the majority of the old National League and South Premier Side back in the day, continued on their cup run with an emphatic win against a very skilful and driven Indian Gym side.

With a full squad of eager veterans, they were bolstered by a superb turnout of home supporters from the club, numbering over 70 plus.

Portsmouth started the game quite well, creating a host of chances but failed to convert them. Indian Gym look to hit Portsmouth on their break utilising their excellent stick skills and control. Portsmouth movement though began to wear down the oppositions defence, with Stu Avery and Paul Hilton combining well, with Steven Turnbull the tip of the spear in his favoured number 10 position. Eventually this movement lead to a Penalty Corner which was coolly deflected in by the self-styled number 10 Steven Turnbull following a Pete Hayward hit, a move from 20 years ago and still effective today.

Portsmouth then scored a couple more goals in quick succession. A superb goal from Paul Hilton , a far post deflection after good link up between Chris Butler and Stu Avery, and then from Niall Gray after Ian Cheshire burst through midfield with his trademark skill , releasing Niall with a pinpoint through Pass and him and Stu Avery again playing 1-2s around the goalkeeper.

Portsmouth were flying high and in complete control. They were working hard to double up on the very skilful attacking players, and then cutting through into the opposition 25 with precise passing and excellent running off the ball. A 4th goal was soon to come, with Niall Gray securing his 2nd goal of the game. Paul Wallis and Tom Boswell attacking down the right, exchanging passes , with Tom getting to the baseline and using his silky walking hockey skills to beat a few players and then pass to Niall at the top who unleashed a rocket into the bottom Corner.

4-0 up and cruising, however Portsmouth took their foot of the gas in the last 10 which led to Indian Gym gaining a foothold in the game. They started having more of the ball in midfield, with Portsmouth leaving spaces between their team lines. Indian Gym did managed to secure a goal near the end of the 1st half following an attack down Portsmouth Left, again getting to the danger of the baseline line and firing in a pass to an attacker on the Penalty Spot who calmly slotted the ball past the Portsmouth GK, John Arnell.

The 1st half ended and Portsmouth knew that if they were to get the next goal, the small sense of danger would be extinguished. They started the 2nd half in the same vein. They had too much movement and energy for the opposition, regular rotation the midfield and Attack, with Paul Wallis , Pete Wiles showing their skill and Ed Faherty as reliable and dominant as ever. Pete Hayward calmed the small nerves of the Home Side with a Straight strike from a Penalty Corner.

However some injuries midway through the half to Ian Cheshire and Niall Gray disrupted the flow and Indian Gym took advantage. They score a 2nd goal during this time, and were close to a 3rd however the goal was disallowed as the ball slightly outside the D. This scare pushed Portsmouth back into action, with Andy Richards, Chris Jackson and Steven Dudley working hard in defence to nullify the their attack and help Portsmouth regain control. Steven Turnbull scored his second of the game, and then played the pass of the game with a pin point raking 50 yard pass to Stu Avery loitering around the 25 bypassing the sole defender. Paul Hilton sprinted to catch up to which Stu then calmly squared the ball for Paul to deflect it in past a stranded Goalkeeper.

The oldest play, Dave Simms, came on and showed his class and hard running, and some of his trademark tackles. John Arnell again showed quality in Goal, making several key saves, one special save from a Penalty Corner.

John Oliver, the Coach, would have been proud of the performance, but that is a question that would need to be asked again after the emotions of the day.

Roll on the semi finals.