Winchester City Football Club

Winchester obtained their first home league win since August and remarkably it is only their second home league fame in this period as they came from behind to beat Slimbridge 3-2.

Since joining the Southern League at the same time as Winchester Slimbridge have invariably finished in the lower half of the table and they have yet to get a league point at Winchester's ground. However after losing their first three league games this season they won the next six and so went into this match in good form.

Winchester made two changes to the starting line-up from Saturday. Simba Mlambo was unavailable with Oli Bailey taking his place, while Kieran Douglas had not completely recovered from injury and was on the substitutes bench with Joe Hayward starting. Robbie Flooks and Ollie Griggs were also unavailable.

Early on a powerfully struck effort by Jamie Barron was just wide, but Winchester took the lead in the 5th minute when I K Hill crossed for Jamie Barron to score. However 11 minutes later Dan Williamson was adjudged to have fouled Soloman Wanjau-Smith and Wanjau-Smith himself converted the penalty. Ryan Beckinsale had a powerfully struck effort just wide, while at the other end Dan King put in a cross that no-one could get on the end of.

However an excellent strike by Wanjau-Smith gave Slimbridge the leads in the 33rd minute and that is the way the score stayed until the interval.

Winchester however started the second half brightly and Lewis Adams in the Slimbridge goal was forced into action early in the half. I K Hill and Keith Emmerson had efforts deflected for corners, but a good team move enabled Winchester to draw level through Rob Carr in the 59th minute. Shortly after the goal Luke King headed just wide, but Winchester took the lead in the 65th minute when Adams was unable to hold on to Bailey's effort and I K Hill was eventually able to put the ball away.

After the fifth goal of the game had gone in both teams came close with Christain Turner making an excellent goal line clearance to deny Ollie Balmer who like Liam Gilbert and Kieran Douglas who had come on in the second half. At the other end Ryan Pryce had to make a good save to deny Myron Turner, while the Winchester defence had to make some good blocks to prevent Slimbridge having any clear goalscoring opportunities. Towards the end Adams came up for set pieces in an effort to find an equalizer for his side, but although five minutes was added on it was Winchester who claimed the three points,

Winchester progressed to the next round of the Southampton Senior Cup with a 6-0 win against Infinity of the Hampshire Premier League thanks to three goals from Simba Mlambo, two from Ollie Balmer and one from Rob Carr.

Winchester started with six of the players who also started against Moneyfields with Ollie Bailey and Ollie Balmer returning and Joe Hayward replacing the injured Kieran Douglas. Owen Holloway and goalkeeper Harry Birchnall also started and game the likes of Bradley Doiyle and Jack Francis came on as substitutes.

In their own league Infinity have won 10 and drawn 1 of their 11 league games so it was a good result as Winchester made progress in a competition they reached the semi finals of last season.

Winchester were in action for the first time for two and a half weeks, but achieved an excellent 2-0 win at Moneyfields. Moneyfields reached the playoffs last season. Their manager of last season Dave Carter recently returned to the club having originally resigned.. Amongst their players are Joe Briggs who used to play for Winchester and Brett Poate who captained the Gosport Borough team that reached the F A Trophy final.

With Robbie Flooks and Ollie Balmer unavailable and Dan Williamson replacing Joe Hayward at right back with the latter on the substitutes bench Winchester made three changes to the starting line-up from the Thame replay with Rob Carr and Kieran Douglas also coming in. Winchester though having loaned out a few of their players, to Amesbury were only able to name three substitutes.

Heavy rain at the start of the game made conditions difficult, but Winchester scored in the 10th minute with the first meaningful attack of the game when a corner was not cleared andSinba Mlambo scored with a volley. Mlambo also had another shot saved, and stung the home goalkeeper's hands with another effort. At the other end Kieran Douglas made a good block, but he had to go off injured shortly afterwards to be replaced by Joe Hayward. Jamie Barron and Luke King wer4e narrowly off target for Winchester, but Moneyfields came into the game as the half progressed and they came close on a couple of occasions to levelling.

Early in the second half Ryan Pryce had to save from Ryan Pennery with Keith Emmerson clearing the follow up effort off the line. Although they were defending well Moneyfields applied a bit of pressure at the start of trhe second half with Jake Raine coming close with a free kick. Winchester however began to develop attacks of their own and Simba Mlambo was only narrowly off target with one effort. They scored a second midway trough the second half when Luke KIng headed home a corner.

That goal gave Winchester a bit of a cushion and one sensed it was going to be their day when the home team were awarded a penalty, but Pryce saved Pennery's spot kick.

Winchester went out of the F A Trophy when they went down 5-3 to Thame. They made one change to the starting line-up from Saturday with Luke King replacing the unavailable Liam Gilbert. Oli Bailey who was unavailable for Saturday's game was on the bench,

However having scored 3 goals in the last 7 minutes of the first game to earn a replay Thame continued where they left off with two goals in the first 12 minutes of the replay. Firstly after 7 minutes Dan West was the first to reach Greg Hackett's cross and 5 minutes later after Ryan Blake forced Ryan Pryce to make a good save at the expense of a corner. However from the resulting corner from Ryan Blake Jamie Essex headed home. The Thame defence were getting in some important blocks to deny Winchester, but Blake hit the post at the other end.

Jamie Barron pulled a goal back in the 28th minute having gone close a couple of minutes earlier. However in the next six minutes Thame scored twice with Greg Hackett scoring following another Ryan Blake corner and then Tom Ashworth made it 4-1. Winchester applied a lot of pressure at the end of the first half and were close to scoring on a few occasions. with Luke King and Jamie Barron having efforts saved at the expense of corners and Simba Mlambo having a shot cleared off the line.

Jamie Barron scored an excellent goal for Winchester shooting into the top corner at the start of the second half, and shortly afterwards Oli Bailey who had come on as a substitute forced a good save from the Thame goalkeeper as the home team were put under a lot of pressure. However any home Winchester had of keeping in the competition were very much reduced when Hackett scored his second goal of the game from close range. A couple of minutes later play was held up when a Thame supporter let off a flare.

When play resumed Winchester pulled a goal back in the 90th minute with substitute Rob Carr's effort going in off the cross bar and they tried to get back in the game, but there was no further addition to the score and so Winchester exited the competition. It was their third successive F A Trophy game in which both teams had scored at least three goals.

What a great result and for large parts great performance that was!! Less said about the officials display the better, truly awful display! So in spite of that and a side intent on playing up to that throughout we got a brilliant win!!

We had no Simba today due to work, plus Griggsy and Flooksy away! So we kept the same team that played most of last week at moneyfields except Oli Bailey in for Sim and Hayward who came on as sub for Kieran last week started, Kieran was fit enough to play a small part from the bench though!

I thought we started superbly and were all over them, got ahead with a brilliant worked goal finished by Baz! We were sharper than them all over and could have gone further ahead until they scored a pen from a very soft coming together by Willo and their theatrical (and very chatty!!) 11!! They got a further goal not long after and suddenly we found selves 2-1 down, the lads regrouped and got back on front foot but came in 2-1 at break!

We had plenty of words at the break, told them to play our game and not let them do what they do effectively, we did exactly that and totally bossed the half! Got level with what I would say was a brilliant goal, everything we are about with clever football around the edge of their box finished well by Rob Carr, then we got a winner with another good move but IK had to bundle the finish in after it was saved! Nearly got a further goal but it was cleared off the line and we closed the game out brilliantly!

A fantastic 3 points against an awkward opponent who had won 6 in a row! We dug deep and I am immensely proud of everyone! We now have thatcham in the league cup on Tuesday in a game where we will make a number of changes, however it’s still a good game for us! Then the bigger and more important task of Cirencester away next Saturday! Can’t wait!

Massive credit to the boys today! Not bad for a side who are falling apart off the pitch eh Jezza!!! :)

Up the citizens!

Davo

Excellent and professional display done tonight against Infinity who whilst a few leagues below us, they are absolutely flying in their league and so we needed to be ready for a battle, we made 5 changes and gave a few debuts out and ran out very comfortable 6-0 winners which is very pleasing.

We left Baz, Max and IK out on the bench, plus Gilly, Prycey, Kieran and myself out of the squad all together from Saturday and brought several into the squad in Harry Birchnall, Owen Holloway, Brad Doyle and Jack Francis into the squad, we are continuing to use these cups for what they are particularly useful for and giving opportunities.

To be honest from the 1st to the last whistle we dominated as I would expect we should, it doesn’t always work that way though so I was very pleased with the desire and application on the night, we didn’t really give them a sniff all game, Young Harry Birchnall didn’t really have any saves to make, his handling at times was very good though. We were 3-0 up at half time and finished up 6-0 winners and it should have been a fair few more but credit their keeper for some great saves! Our goals came from Simba with a hattrick, Balmer with 2 and Carr with the other goal!

Well done to the group, very good job done! We now have to prepare for a home games against the form side in the league Slimbridge who have won their last 6 games in a row! We will be ready for a massive battle and look forward to it following 2 good wins and clean sheets!

Roll on Saturday!

Up the citizens

Davo

Absolutely brilliant win for us with a number of players injured or unavailable (not left the club!!!) And in conditions that were very difficult against an always powerful side, a goal in each half and a brilliant 3 points.

Balmer, Flooks and Bailey away with work, Griggsy injured, plus the 4 lads we let go out on loan, we were very much bare bones, then Liam Gilbert was caught in traffic and not there until 3pm, next up Kieran Douglas who had started brilliantly had to go off with injury 20 minutes in and so further difficulties.

We were outstanding throughout really and totally deserved the win, Simba scored in the first half with a volley. 2nd half a number of chances to double our lead went begging, then a 2nd goal we did get when Luke King headed home from a corner. We were fairly untroubled although Prycey made a few decent stops, then a very dubious pen was given and Prycey got us justice with a great pen save, we closed the game out well after that for a great 3 points.

Very proud of my group of players who once again gave their all, put bodies on the line and stuck together against a good side. Delighted for them all, especially as we haven't had a game for a fortnight. So next up we have Southampton Snr cup at home on Tuesday against Infinity and then Slimbridge at home next weekend in a bigger game!

Well done to all the lads, superb result and display!

Up the citizens

Davo

Well that was a very disappointing night! To be honest In a way I had a feeling that they were destined to go through tonight after what happened in the first game, however we absolutely gifted that to them with a lacklustre first half defensively that was simply not good enough and ultimately killed the game as a contest!

So we had no Gilbert again due to work! So had to shuffle the midfield pack once again, this time bringing Luke King in to play alongside Max Smith in an otherwise unchanged lineup. We started in complete control and it was a real shock to go behind and then quickly 2-0! We battled back and got a goal through Baz and back in it, then 2 more lapses and we were 4-1 down at the break!

2 substitutions and a tactical switch and we quickly got back in it with a great goal from Barron, a couple more chances came and went as they were rocking! Then they got another to seemingly kill the contest! However we did pull one back from Rob Carr but couldn’t get back in it, despite an excellent 2nd half display! It’s fair to say the damage was done in the 1st half although realistically the damage was done in the final 10/15 minutes in the first match!

Well done to Thame and all the best in the next round, one sour note was the flare that was let off, then the culprits being left to laugh about it in the ground while players were coughing and spluttering! Not good!!

For us we have to lick our wounds and get ready for the next league game at home against Larkhall a week on Saturday!

Sorry that we have bowed out of the cup, we were not going to win the FA trophy but the finances would have been massively important to us.

Up the citizens

Davo