112 goals and 14 hat-tricks over two seasons - The ex-Portsmouth, Ipswich, Swindon and Bristol City man who can't stop scoring

With 112 goals in two seasons, a former Pompey favourite is showing absolutely no signs of winding down his career.

Brett Pitman’s post-Football League scoring exploits drew national attention when he plundered 50 goals and five hat-tricks in 47 outings during a staggering season with AFC Portchester last year.

The evergreen striker then moved to Wessex League Premier Division side rivals Shaftesbury last summer to be closer to his Poole home - and has even more deadly.

For the relentless 36-year-old has this season netted a staggering 62 times, including nine hat-tricks.

That includes 57 in 40 league and play-off matches for the Rookies - 17 more than any other striker at Step 5 level for the ex-Ipswich, Bournemouth and Swindon man.

Pitman’s remarkable tally includes bagging seven in the 8-2 hammering of Christchurch in December, and four against both Blackfield & Langley and Fareham.

Unlike last season at Portchester, the veteran’s goals have managed to secure promotion, with Shaftesbury beating AFC Stoneman 1-0 in the Premier Division play-off final, having finished third. No points for guessing the identity of the matchwinner.

Sadly for the non-leaguers, they failed to claim a notable double after losing 3-1 to Hamworthy Recreation in the final of the Dorset Senior Cup, with Pitman registering the consolation.

Nonetheless, it remains a remarkable campaign for Shaftesbury, who will now play in the Southern League for the first time in their history.

While Pitman has reached 50 or more goals in consecutive seasons after leaving Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2022.

That represented the end of a prolific Football League career which began at Bournemouth and also consisted of successful stays at Bristol City, Ipswich, Pompey, Swindon and Bristol Rovers.

During his Fratton Park days, Pitman scored 25 goals in 2017-18 under Kenny Jackett in League One, a magnificent maiden campaign in which he also served as captain.

He also skippered the Blues to the Checkatrade Trophy in March 2019, netting one of the penalties in their shoot-out success over Sunderland.

Pitman was released by Pompey in July 2020 at the end of his contract, with 42 goals from 99 appearances.