Southern League side Westbury United booked their place in the First Qualifying Round thanks to a goal in the closing stages of what proved to be a high octane, end to end game.

Both sides constantly looked to go on the attack and losing to a late goal was tough on the Royals, whose play on the day deserved another chance to try and win their way through to the next round via a replay.

The visitors received a very raw deal from the referee in terms of how he interpreted key moments of the game. Those in the Portchester camp will still be scratching their heads on how they ended up with two red cards when elsewhere during the 90 minutes far more serious incidents of foul play went unpunished.

The home side had the best of the early chances when Aaron Witchell put his shot wide from a cross into the box from the left and keeper Jake Hallett was then forced to push away his free kick from 25 yards out.

On 13 minutes Harrison Brook put a shot well over the target before Marcel Lewis got past a couple of tackles down the left side of the penalty area but his low shot into the near post was easily saved by Hallett.

Westbury went close to taking the lead on 23 minutes when a cross in from the right found Charlie Walton, who tried to knock the ball home from close range but somehow the Portchester keeper got his arm to the shot to prevent a certain goal.

Bevan Cross sent his header narrowly wide before Hallett made another point-blank save to keep Westbury out. In the next attack a cross from the right bounced off the crossbar and away to safety.

Then a period of madness arrived. Marley Ridge looked set to get clear of the home defence when he chased after a ball clipped in behind them. However, Daniel Restorick stepped across his path and with what looked to be a combination of shoulder and outstretched arm, he stopped Ridge dead in his tracks.

The home player looked very fortunate to escape with only a yellow card for the challenge, with Ridge receiving treatment for several minutes before he was able to get to his feet again.

A couple of minutes later the same home player wrapped his arms around Ryan Pennery as he tried to get clear with a run into the box. A free kick was awarded for the foul but despite there being a strong case to argue the home player was the last man on Pennery’s route towards goal, the referee’s cards stayed in his pocket.

After these incidents the visitors were perplexed, with some justification, over the referee’s decision to brandish two red cards in the second half for incidents far less serious than these two which only brought out the yellow card once.

Amongst the madness the Royals went so close to breaking the deadlock on 36 minutes. A free kick from James Cowan picked out Ash Howes, and his shot was only kept out by home keeper Jonathan Hill diving full length to his right to push the goal-bound shot away.

In the closing stages of the first half Conor Bailey blazed his shot from 25 yards out well over and Penney’s free kick from the edge of the box went just wide of the target.

Hallett remained in inspired form during the second half to ensure the scores stayed level until the closing stages.

Five minutes after the re-start a cross from the right allowed the home side to shoot but the ball was partially blocked and it rolled to Benjamin Griffiths near the penalty spot. His shot was heading into the top corner of the net until Hallett somehow threw himself up quickly enough to palm the ball over the bar.

Walton almost capitalised on a defender’s slip but he hit his shot narrowly over the bar and at the other end Hill had to sharply gather up Charlie Williamson’s low cross into the six yard box from the right, with Connor Duffin and Brook both waiting to pounce.

The game was anybody’s as it entered the final quarter of the match and on 72 minutes a corner from the left found Bailey inside the box. He turned and tried to fire off a shot but it was blocked and although the loose ball ran to Archie Willcox, he fired his first-time shot well over the target.

At the other end a ball into the box reached Witchell when it wasn’t cleared but he put his shot wide and Walton found some space on the left hand side of the penalty area but his shot was easily gathered by Hallett at his near post.

The home side got what proved to be the winning goal with nine minutes remaining. In the build up a Portchester player went down with a head injury when trying to win the ball in the centre circle but the referee allowed play to continue.

Westbury broke quickly down the right and when the ball was fired low into the six yard box substitute Harvey Flippance was there to slide it home from close range.

The visitors were convinced the home player was in an offside position when he scored but after consulting with his linesman the referee ignored the protests and gave the goal.

Portchester’s late heartbreak was compounded when Duffin was sent off for a second yellow card with four minutes remaining and Hallett also saw red after the final whistle was blown for expressing his views on some of the decisions a little too forcefully for the referee’s liking.

The ending was an inch or two away from being so different, however, when the Royals almost snatched an equaliser in stoppage time.

The ball was played up into the penalty area and into the path of Pennery, whose run had evaded the home defence. He tried to get his foot to the ball but just couldn’t quite stretch enough to apply the finishing touch and Hill had to palm the ball over the bar when it bounced on towards goal.