Winchester City Football Club

Winchester City turned in an impressive display as they ran out 8-0 winners away at Ringwood Town in their second pre-season friendly on Tuesday night, writes Matt Richbell.

City's opening friendly finished in a 1-0 loss at Cowes Sports. However, there was clearly no hangover from the reverse on the Isle-of-Wight at the weekend as City took an early lead when new signing, former Waterford and Carlisle United striker, Greg Peel, rounded the keeper to score. Olly Balmer then doubled City's lead having already had one goal ruled out for offside. Balmer did double his tally for the night when he scored an impressive free-kick, before Peel scored his second too, latching on to a through ball from Joe Hayward.
After the break, it was more of the same for Craig Davis' side. Simba Mlambo came off the bench at the interval and wreaked havoc amongst the Ringwood defence. Mlambo got the ball on the right wing, before turning away from his marker and finishing well past the keeper for 5-0. Kieran Douglas headed home City's sixth goal, from a Dom Panesar-Dower corner. Panesar-Dower got on the scoresheet himself with 20 minutes remaining, firing last past the onrushing keeper before Lex Vaughan made it eight. 17-year-old Vaughan came off the bench and scored following an assist from Simba Mlambo to wrap up the scoring at Long Lane.
Up next for City is a home friendly against Southern Premier League side, Poole Town, at The Simplyhealth City Ground. Admission is just £5 for Adults and £3 for Concessions; so come and down and show your support!

Disappointing result but without Max and Dan who have been integral that was a blow, however against a direct side who smashed it forward at every opportunity on a very bobbly pitch we didn’t produce the sort of stuff we have been, credit to them for getting the goal and preventing us playing! Even their goal came courtesy of an horrific bobble meaning Kinger missed his clearance allowing a tap in, unfortunate in the extreme.

They had a few chances on the break and Charlie made a few good stops but in truth it was wave after wave of us and we couldn’t get the equaliser. Also a couple of stone wall pens not given.

In the end it’s a loss but the efforts from the lads has been sensational, I believe in our style of playing and I wouldn’t want to put out a side to attempt to play any other way, we will win more than we lose but we have to sometimes win an ugly game like today if we want to be a really good side.

Work in progress!

Up the citizens

T

his group of players are the very best I could wish for, budgets on display elsewhere dwarf anything we have, by a long way, however the spirit, togetherness and style that they do it with is a joy!

It means nothing to be 9 from 9 including away wins at melksham and totton who were both pre start favourites, is outstanding, but we can sit back and enjoy them results.

Some of the displays truly outstanding, will pick a couple out, Balmer and McCormick, both of which deemed surplus to requirements to our opponents when they were blackfield! We bring them in, work with them and shine them up a bit, develop them in areas and give them a platform to go and play! Whole display a different class though in all aspects football wise when 11v11 we played great stuff and the resilience when down to 10 incredible.

Well done boys, we are counting the cost now though with knocks, hope Dan Bradshaw can be back soon following his head injury, he has been superb with Max so far, Griggsy to come on and slide home the winner though says it all about the group.

Up the winch! Hope you all enjoy the win, you all deserve it as we do things with a class as a club that I am very proud of, more and more things that you experience at places like today shows that in an abundance.

Couldn’t be prouder of that group of players and staff trudging home after completely going toe to toe with a side who were play offs at step 2 last season away from home!

A hardy few committee members only able to witness it, I hope that some who were able to witness it can give their view. Absolutely went for the win, not just to sit and get rolled over.

Well done boys, unbelievable group of people let alone very talented and care about the squad and pride in the shirt they wear!

Outstanding Saturday, simply outstanding, tonight for long spells extremely poor in comparison, albeit if we didn’t give them a super sloppy goal at 3-0 up we would have gone on and scored a few more I think, we gave them a lifeline! They didn’t create anything with quality but with long balls and sheer effort which deserves respect and that’s why games against lower opposition is very hard.

Still 3 wins from 3 games, 2 vital prize money wins and we roll on. 2 sides in our league went out to sides in Clevedons league tonight, them games are always banana skins but we got the job done.

Delighted for the whole club. Up the citizens!